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THE  EVOLUTION  OF 
OUR  CHRISTIAN  HYMNOLOGY 


tCJje  evolution  of  (But 
Cj)ri0tian  Upmnologp 


BY 

FRANCIS  B.  REEVES 


PHILADELPHIA 

THE  JOHN  C.  WINSTON  CO. 
1912 


Copyright,  1912,  by 
FRANCIS  B.  REEVES. 


•  CONTENTS. 

•  PAGE 

Introductory   9 

Sacredness  of  Our  Hymnology   13 

Some  of  Our  Old  Hymn  Books   37 

The  Dawn  of  a  Brighter  Day   63 

Theologic  Progression    73 

-Some  Unclassible  Hymns   77 

The  Valley  of  the  Shadow   93 

Some  Hymns  by  Inspired  Women   98 

Some  Valued  Hymns  by  Watts  and  Other  Men   116 

Hymns  of  Patriotism   134 

Hymns  for  the  Sunday  School   144 

Comments  on  Doggerel  Rhymes   155 

Hymn-Mending    161 

Christian  Unification   174 

Addenda   179 

Index  of  First  Lines   193 


(5) 


HYMNS  WITH  TUNES. 

PAGE 

And  Am  I  Only  Born  to  Die   57 

A  Brighter  Day   190 

Ah  !  Lovely  Appearance  of  Death   93 

Away  to  School   146 

And  Am  I  Born  to  Die   151 

Behold  the  Man  Three  Score  and  Ten   95 

Call  and  Consecration   189 

Down  TO  THE  Tomb  Our  Brother  Goes   78 

False  Are  the  Men  of  High  Degree   85 

Farewell,  Farewell,  Dear  Friends   89 

Fourteenth  Chapter  of  John   188 

Hark,  from  the  Tombs   45 

Heavenly  Father,  God  of  Nations   137 

How  Glorious  Art  Thou   187 

Judgment  Day  Is  Coming  On   59 

Lord,  What  a  Thoughtless  Wretch  Was  1   55 

My  Soul,  Come  Meditate  the  Day   61 

Nearer,  Still  Nearer   112 

O,  THE  Love  of  God  Almighty   130 

Sabbath  School  Hymn    144 

Singing  School   i45 

(7) 


8  Hymns  with  Tunes. 

PAGE 

Stoop  Down,  My  Thoughts   96 

Stop,  Poor  Sinner   58 

The  Evening  Boat   145 

The  Lord  Has  Come  Into  His  World   129 

The  Rising  Morning  Can't  Ensure   94 

Whither  Goest  Thou,  Pilgrim,  Stranger   83 

Who  Can  Describe  the  Pain   78 


INTRODUCTORY. 


The  writing  of  this  treatise  was  in  fulfihrnent  of  an 
engagement  to  discourse  it  at  a  banquet  entertainment  of  the 
Presbyterian  Social  Union  of  Philadelphia,  at  the  Bellevue- 
Stratford,  the  evening  of  April  24,  191 1. 

Prior  to  the  hour  of  its  delivery  several  important  matters 
necessarily  encroached  upon  the  time  required  for  it,  so  that  a 
large  part  of  the  manuscript  had  to  be  omitted,  as  also  the 
singing  by  the  quartet  choir  and  the  assembly  of  a  number  of 
hymns  that  had  been  selected  for  illustration  of  the  subject. 
Under  these  circumstances  a  motion  was  made  and  adopted  by 
unanimous  vote  of  the  two  hundred  and  forty  men  present, 
requesting  me  to  have  the  address  published  in  book  form. 

Acceding  to  this  request,  and  being  relieved  from  the  time 
limitation  of  a  spoken  address,  I  have  embraced  the  oppor- 
tunity to  elaborate  upon  my  theme  considerably,  though  without 
branching  out  far  beyond  the  lines  suggested  by  my  announced 
topic. 

It  is  not  my  purpose  to  make  a  disquisition  on  this  great 
subject  historically,  from  the  dawn  of  the  day  when  ''The 
morning  stars  sang  together  and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted 
for  joy"  down  to  our  day  and  generation,  but  simply  to  direct 
our  thoughts  reminiscentially  to  what  I  may  term  the  Evolution 
of  our  Christian  Hymnology,  a  joyful  forward  movement  that 
has  been  clearly  perceptible  to  me  during  my  life  of  three- 
quarters  of  a  century  and  has  been  accelerating  materially  in 
the  last  few  decades. 

Nor  am  I  making  this  paper  biographical  of  Hymnists  or 
of  their  distinguished  music  composers,  although,  incidentally, 
many  of  them  must  figure  measurably  in  the  narrative.  These 

(9) 


10 


Introductory. 


phases  of  the  subject  have  been  admirably  treated  in  recent 
years  in  several  books  and  religious  newspapers ;  but  I  have  no 
knowledge  of  any  publication  as  yet  along  the  special  line  that 
I  have  above  indicated  as  my  present  purpose, — comparisons 
between  the  hymnody  of  the  earlier  and  later  periods  under 
review,  with  evidence  as  to  the  causes  of  its  distinct,  radical 
evolution. 

While  brief  reference  will  be  made  to  earlier  religious 
lyrics,  this  review  will  chiefly  embrace  the  period  from  about 
the  time  when  the  paraphrased  psalms  of  Dr.  Isaac  Watts  and 
the  hymns  of  the  Wesleys  practically  held  sway  in  the  Reformed 
Churches  (eighteenth  century)  down  to  the  twentieth  century. 

Realizing  as  I  do  that  the  lovers  of  Christian  worship  in 
song  by  whatever  denominational  name  known  are  ''giving 
diligence  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bonds  of  peace,'' 
with  brotherly  kindness  and  charity,  I  am  relying  more  upon 
this,  and  the  inherent  goodness  and  attractiveness  of  my  subject, 
than  u])on  myself.  Should  anyone  think  there  is  too  frequent 
use  of  the  first  person  singular  through  these  pages,  I  would 
say  that,  being  no  adept  at  story-telling,  I  find  it  difficult  to 
avoid  it. 

Wherever  the  plural  personal  pronoun  appears,  I  hope  it 
may  be  accepted  as  applying  to  the  author  and  all  of  his  dear 
readers. 

Whatever  interest  may  be  awakened  by  my  treatment  of 
the  subject,  or  however  my  selection  of  the  old  abandoned 
psalms  and  hymns  and  comments  thereupon  may  fall  short  of 
the  ideal,  I  am  sure  that  the  multitude  of  spiritually  ennobling 
hymns  themselves,  if  carefully  and  prayerfully  read  in  their 
entirety,  will  make  up  for  all  deficiencies.  Many  of  them, 
already  engraved  deeply  upon  our  hearts,  are  worthy  of  being 
rehearsed  again  and  again,  until  they  may  be  spoken  in  the 


Introductory. 


II 


darkness  of  the  stilly  night  when  slumber's  chains  are  binding 
us. 

If  by  this  writing  I  may  be  able  to  strike  a  responsive  chord 
around  the  broad  and  ever-expanding  circle  of  worshipful 
people,  all  deeply  interested  in  every  phase  of  religious  advance- 
ment, then  may  we  be  able  to  sing  again  for  the  thousandth 
time — "Blest  be  the  tie  that  binds  our  hearts  in  Christian  love,'' 
a  blessed  hymn  that  has  been  sung  by  millions  of  voices  for 
more  than  a  century  and  that  will  not  fade  away  until  "Rolling 
years  shall  cease  to  move." 

F.  B.  R. 

Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania, 
October  lo,  191 1. 


Chapter  I. 


SACREDNESS  OF  OUR  HYMNOLOGY. 

For  the  beginning  of  the  hterature  of  Psalmody  we  turn 
the  pages  of  its  history  back  to  the  Song  of  Moses  and  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  with  Miriam  and  a  great  company  of  women 
accompanying  the  song  with  timbrels  and  dances. 

In  the  Book  of  Exodus  (15th  chapter)  we  find  this  great 
song,  the  first  of  record  in  our  Bible;  these  are  its  opening 
words — ''Then  sang  Moses  and  the  children  of  Israel  this  song 
unto  the  Lord,  saying,  I  zvill  sing  unto  the  Lord,  for  He  hath 
triumphed  gloriously.  The  horse  and  his  rider  hath  He  throzvn 
into  the  sea."  In  the  Book  of  Psalms  we  have — ''With  my 
Song  will  I  praise  Him'' ; — "He  hath  put  a  nezv  song  in  my 
mouth,  even  praise  unto  our  God'' ; — "I  zvill  praise  the  name 
of  God  zjuith  a  song" ; — "Serve  the  Lord  with  gladness,  come 
before  His  presence  with  singing"  and  many  other  well-known 
calls  to  sing  joyful  praises  to  Jehovah.  In  ist  Chron.  (6:31) 
following  a  long  string  of  names  of  men,  we  read,  "And  these 
are  they  whom  David  set  over  the  Service  of  Song  in  the  house 
of  the  Lord,  *  ^-i^  ^  and  they  ministered  before  the  dwell- 
ing place  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation  zvith  singing, 
*    *    >K    jg^  fii^y  i^Qre  employed  in  that  work  day  and  night." 

The  Chronicler  goes  on  to  tell  us  that  the  "Sweet  Psalmist 
of  IsraeF'  ordered  a  Choir  to  sing  thanksgiving  to  God  when 
the  ark  of  God  was  brought  into  the  midst  of  the  tent,  "and  he 
delivered  to  the  Choir  a  psalm  to  thank  the  Lord." 

And  when  David  made  Solomon  his  son  King  over  Israel, 
we  are  told  that  four  thousand  praised  the  Lord  with  the  in- 
struments which,  David  said,  "I  made  to  praise  the  Lord  there- 
with." Another  Choir,  as  recorded  in  the  Chronicles,  consisted 
of  the  children  of  Haman,  fourteen  sons  and  three  daughters, 
who,  quoting  literally,  "Were  under  the  hands  of  their  father 
for  song  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  with  cymbals,  psalteries  and 

(13) 


14 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


harps  for  the  service  of  the  house  of  God."  It  is  written  that 
singers  were  added  to  this  Choir  until  it  numbered  two  hundred 
fourscore  and  eight.  In  David's  57th  Psahn  it  is  written:  ''I 
zvill  sing,  yea  I  will  sing  praises.  Awake  up  my  glory;  awake 
psaltery  and  harp  ^  *  *  /  ^t;///  sing  praises  unto  Thee 
among  the  nations.'' 

It  is  written  in  the  Book  of  Ezra : — ''And  zvhen  the  builders 
laid  the  foundation  of  the  temple  of  Jehovah,  they  set  the  priests 
in  their  apparel  with  trumpets,  and  the  Levites,  the  sons  of 
Asaph,  with  cymbals,  to  praise  Jehovah  after  the  order  of 
David,  King  of  Israel.  And  they  sang  one  to  another  in 
praising  and  giving  thanks  unto  Jehovah,  saying — 'For  Jie  is 
good,  for  his  loving  kindness  endureth  forever  tovuard  Israel.'  " 

In  the  New  Testament,  in  Matthew's  Gospel,  we  read 
this,  its  first  reference  to  Christian  Song — "And  when  they  had 
sung  an  hymn  they  zuent  out  into  the  Moimt  of  Olives." 

Luke,  writing  of  Paul  and  Silas  in  the  prison,  says — "At 
midnight  they  sang  praises  to  God  and  the  prisoners  heard 
them." 

Paul,  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  said — "I  will  pray 
zvith  the  spirit  and  I  zvill  pray  with  the  understanding  also:  I 
will  sing  with  the  spirit  and  I  zvill  sing  zvith  the  understanding 
also." 

James  wrote — "Is  any  among  you  suffering?  Let  him 
pray.    Is  any  cheerful?    Let  hi^n  sing  praise." 

Immediately  after  our  Lord's  ascension  to  heaven,  it  is 
said  of  His  beloved  disciples:  "They  worshipped  Him  and 
returned  to  lerusalem  with  great  joy  and  zvere  continually  in 
the  temple  praising  and  blessing  God." 

In  Revelation  14  we  read — "I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven 
as  the  voice  of  harpers  with  their  harps;  and  they  sing  a  new 
song  before  the  throne  *  *  *  and  no  man  could  learn  the 
song  save  the  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand  which  follow 
the  Lamb  zvhithersoever  He  goeth." 

Special  significance  attaches  to  Col.  3:  16,  where  we  find 
that  the  Apostle  Paul  believed  that  the  singing  of  psalms  and 


Christian  Hymnology. 


15 


hymns  carried  with  it  both  instruction  and  warning  as  well  as 
praise  and  prayer,  when  he  wrote — ''Teaching  and  admonishing 
one  another  in  psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs,  singing 
with  grace  in  your  hearts  unto  the  Lord.''  Note  it  must  be  with 
grace  in  our  hearts;  every  word  must  be  expressive  of  the 
heart's  sincere  desire,  and  if  we  would  have  the  singing  of 
psalms  and  hymns  to  be  acceptable  to  God  and  promotive  of 
our  spirituality,  we  must  always  take  them  to  heart  as  an  em- 
bodiment of  adoration,  thanksgiving  and  supplication,  and  not 
chiefly  for  the  gratification  of  our  musical  taste.  I  quote  the 
following  from  William  Charles  Braithwaite's  "Early 
Hymns 

The  singing  of  psalms  had  an  important  place  in  the  Jewish 
worship,  for  example,  the  sequence  of  psalms  from  the  113th 
to  the  ii8th  was  sung  several  times  during  the  Passover  week, 
and  is  probably  alluded  to  in  Matt.  26 : 30.  The  Christians 
very  naturally  kept  up  this  Jewish  custom  and  made  use  of 
hymns  at  their  "feasts  of  love"  and  other  meetings.  The  earliest 
of  the  Christian  hymns  were  in  Greek.  "Early  in  the  morning," 
according  to  Pliny,  "the  Christians  sing  a  hymn  of  praise  to 
Christ  as  to  a  God,"  This  hymn,  handed  down  from  the  second 
century,  and  known  in  the  Latin  form  as  the  "Gloria  in  Excelsis," 
is  delightful  in  its  simplicity.  It  begins  with  the  angelic  anthem, 
"Glory  to  God  in  the  Highest,  and  on  Earth  peace,  Good-will 
towards  men,"  and  continues  in  an  outburst  of  prayer  to  Christ, 
"O  Lord  God,  Lamb  of  God,  Son  of  the  Father,  that  bearest  the 
sins  of  the  world,  supply  our  need.  Thou  who  sittest  on  the  right 
hand  of  the  Father  have  mercy  upon  us.  For  Thou  art  alone 
holy.  Thou  Christ  Jesus  art  alone  Lord  in  the  glory  of  God  the 
Father."  It  is  a  striking  fact  that  the  earliest  Christian  hymns  set 
forth  most  clearly  the  divinity  of  our  Lord. 

Certainly  no  argument  is  required  to  make  it  clear  that 
music,  both  vocal  and  instrumental,  in  the  public  worship  of 
God  is  sanctioned  by  His  Holy  Word.  I  have  imagined  that 
our  esteemed  Quaker  friends  abstain  from  its  use  because  they 
have  thought  otherwise,  probably  influenced  by  such  isolated 
passages  of  Scripture  as  these :  ''The  Lord  is  in  His  holy  temple, 
let  all  the  earth  keep  silence  before  Him."  "They  that  worship 
Him  must  worship  Him  in  spirit."   "Woe  unto  them  that  sing 


i6 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


idle  songs  to  the  sound  of  the  viol,  that  invent  to  themselves 
instruments  of  music  like  David,''  a  woe  pronounced,  not  against 
music,  but  "against  a  Godless  dissipated  people  who,  in  profane 
mirth,  with  their  new-fashioned  instruments,  mimicked  the 
temple  music  and  took  pride  in  bantering  it/' 

In  recent  conversations  with  prominent  members  of  the 
Society  of  Friends,  I  was  told  that  opposition  to  singing  in 
meeting  is  dying  away ;  that  while  its  proscription  was  insisted 
upon  for  many  years,  it  was  because  of  the  conviction  that  music 
in  worship  was  a  ceremony  and  formality  to  be  avoided  as  some- 
thing that  would  divert  them  from  that  state  of  silent  waiting 
most  favorable  for  the  moving  of  God's  Spirit  within  them,  and 
that  now  there  is  a  strong  tendency  in  the  Society  to  correct 
their  mistake. 

Edgar  L.  Requa,  in  a  contribution  to  "The  American 
Friend"  four  years  ago,  entitled  "The  Quaker  Idea  of  Music  in 
its  Relation  to  Worship,"  said: 

It  is  the  Lord  who  moves  us  to  speak,  pray,  sing  or  take 
any  outward  part  in  worship.  ^  ^  ^  We  read  of  musical 
instruments  in  Heaven.  Since  we  find  them  in  the  God-ordained 
temple,  which  has  passed  away,  and  in  Heaven,  which  is  to  last 
forever,  and  in  our  homes,  who  shall  say  they  are  not  legitimate 
in  our  churches?  *  *  *  We  are  in  the  beginning  of  a 
revival  of  music.  It  is  being  felt  everywhere.  *  *  We 
should  be  leaders  and  in  the  stillness  of  our  silence,  hear  the 
voice  and  message  of  music  and  proclaim  it  to  the  world.  *  * 
Music  is  pure  and  spiritual  when  it  proceeds  from  and  appeals 
to  that  which  is  pure  and  spiritual  within.  *  *  The  use  of 
music  in  worship  is  twofold.  First,  to  express  the  feelings  of  the 
heart.  Second,  to  impress  emotions  or  truths.  Hence,  in  wor- 
ship, the  office  of  music  is  that  of  praise.  The  music  should  be 
of  a  nature  that  praises  and  extols  the  Lord.  Such  singing  is 
worship.  This  does  not  conflict  with  Friends'  theory  of  worship 
on  the  basis  of  silence  or  the  leading  of  the  Lord.  Since,  accord- 
ing to  Barclay,  "Worship  consists  in  a  holy  dependence  of  the 
mind  upon  the  Lord,"  what  right  have  we  to  say  the  Lord  does 
not  lead  to  sing  as  well  as  to  speak  or  to  pray? 


I  thank  God  that  in  the  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures  I 
have  learned  to  compare  Scripture  with  Scripture,  nothing 


Christian  Hymnology. 


17 


daunted  by  seeming  discrepancies,  holding  fast  the  golden 
chain  that  runs  unbroken  from  Moses  to  John,  the  revelator,  a 
chain  upon  the  links  of  which  I  see  words  engraved — Love, 
Forgiveness,  Truth,  Praise,  Peace,  Devotion.  The  literature  of 
our  Christian  hymns  overflows  with  these  noblest  of  all  words. 

Musical  instruments  of  whatever  kind  in  religious  service 
should  be  regarded  as  only  a  means  to  an  end,  a  help  to  congre- 
gational singing.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  choir.  The 
scriptural  injunction  is  not  Let  the  choir  praise  Thee,  O  God, 
but  it  is  ''Let  the  people  praise  Thee,  O  God;  let  all  the  people 
praise  Thee/'  So  important  a  part  of  divine  worship  should 
not  be  rendered  by  proxy.  The  Church  has  made  a  great 
advance  in  this  respect  since  our  grandfathers'  time,  when,  for 
lack  of  hymn  books  in  the  pews  and  total  absence  of  books  with 
tunes,  the  hymns  were  lined  out  by  the  minister,  when  the 
sermon  and  the  ''long  prayer"  absorbed  an  hour  and  a  quarter, 
the  high  pulpit  being  then  the  alpha  and  omega  of  the  service. 

No  musical  instruments,  whether  harp,  sackbut,  psaltery, 
or  pipe  organ,  can  be  too  good  for  the  sanctuary;  and  the 
more  highly  cultivated  the  choir  singers  the  better  for  the 
service.  It  would  be  commendable  if  professing  Christians  who 
are  patrons  of  grand  opera  would  expend  half  the  cost  of  such 
patronage  upon  their  church  music,  thereby  not  only  pleasing 
themselves,  but  also  raising  the  standard  of  musical  apprecia- 
tion and  providing  enjoyment,  combining  spiritual  uplifting  for 
the  many  who  cannot  afford  the  luxury  of  the  world's  high  art 
in  opera. 

A  few  thoughts  arise  here  about  the  choir,  sometimes  a 
source  of  anxiety  shared  both  by  the  congregation  and  the 
minister.  It  ought  never  to  be  other  than  a  helpful  auxiliary 
of  the  devotional  exercise  of  united  praise  and  worship.  As  a 
general  thing  the  quartette  is  better  than  the  large  chorus ;  it  is 
simpler  and  more  easily  trained  in  practice  of  the  hymns  and 
anthems.  Four  excellent  singers  are  more  readily  acquired 
than  are  twenty.  In  either  case,  drilling  beforehand  by  the 
leader  is  essentially  necessary,  to  the  end  that  all  parts  may  be 


i8 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


in  perfect  unison,  and  especially  that  every  word  and  every 
syllable  of  the  hymn  or  anthem  may  be  distinctly  articulated. 
A  too  frequent  palpable  error  is  failure  to  pronounce  the 
consonants,  particular  the  ''s"  and  "t."  The  printed  anthem 
in  the  hands  of  worshipers  is  often  absolutely  essential  to  the 
understanding  of  the  words  being  sung  by  the  choir,  and  even 
this  may  emphasize  the  defects  of  the  choir.  As  a  fair  example 
of  this  averment,  I  have  often  noticed  that  the  old  long-meter 
doxology,  as  rendered  by  choir  and  congregation,  sounds  like 

Praise  God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow; 
Praise  Him  all  creatures  here  below: 
Praise  Him  above  ye  heavenly  ho; 
Praise  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Go. 

If  we  are  to  have  a  choir  of  any  dimensions,  and  if  our 
singing  is  to  be  honored  with  its  proper  place  in  the  house  of 
God,  it  should  be  in  all  respects  as  nearly  perfect  as  our 
humanity  can  make  it. 

More  than  half  our  hymns  are  prayers  in  verse.  Every 
one  of  us  should  know  for  what  we  are  praying  as  we  sing  them. 

It  is  with  me  a  conviction,  strengthened  by  long  experience, 
that  the  leader  of  the  song  service,  especially  in  the  Sunday 
School,  should  impress  it  upon  every  soul  that  devout  attention 
should  be  given  to  the  words,  the  sentiments  of  the  hymn;  that, 
if  it  be  a  prayer-hymn,  it  should  be  regarded  as  truly  a  prayer 
as  though  offered  to  God  with  closed  eyes  on  bended  knees.  We 
who  are  in  touch  with  the  song  service  of  the  church  and  Sunday 
School  believe  that  it  imparts  a  potent,  evangelizing,  comforting 
influence  upon  religious  life  and  character,  sometimes  giving  us 
"the  wings  of  faith  to  rise  within  the  veil";  to  ''rise  from 
transitory  things  towards  heaven,  our  native  place." 

The  history  of  Church  Hymnody  of  all  lands,  especially  all 
English-speaking  countries,  proves  that  it  has  ever  been  so. 

Fifteen  hundred  years  ago,  in  his  "Confessions,"  the  great 

Augustine  said: 

How  did  I  weep  in  thy  hymns  and  canticles,  touched  to  the 
quick  by  the  voices  of  thy  sweet  attuned  church.    The  voices 


Christian  Hymnology. 


19 


flowed  into  my  ears  and  the  truth  distilled  into  my  heart,  whence 
the  affections  of  my  devotion  overflowed  and  tears  ran  down  and 
happy  was  I  therein.  Not  long  had  the  Church  of  Milan  to  use 
this  kind  of  consolation  and  exhortation,  the  brethren  zealously 
joining  with  harmony  of  voice  and  hearts;  for  it  was  a  year, 
or  not  much  more,  that  Justina,  mother  to  the  Emperor  Valentine, 
a  child,  persecuted  thy  servant  Ambrose.  .  .  .  The  devout 
people  kept  watch  in  the  church,  ready  to  die  with  their  bishop. 
Then  it  was  first  instituted  that  after  the  manners  of  the  Eastern 
Church,  hymns  and  psalms  should  be  sung,  lest  the  people  should 
wax  faint  through  the  tediousness  of  service.  And  from  that 
day  to  this  the  custom  is  retained,  almost  all  thy  congregations 
throughout  other  parts  of  the  world  following  therein. 

St.  Jerome  relates  of  the  place  where  he  lived : 

You  could  not  go  into  the  field,  but  you  might  hear  the  plow- 
man at  his  hallelujahs,  the  mower  at  his  hymns,  and  the  vine- 
dresser singing  David's  Psalms. 

Rev.  Richard  Baxter,  seventeenth  century,  said: 

There  is  no  exercise  that  I  had  rather  live  and  die  in  than 
singing  praises  to  our  Redeemer  and  Jehovah. 

Wordsworth  voiced  our  sentiments  in  these  lines : 

Blessings  be  w^ith  them,  and  eternal  praise, 
Who  gave  us  nobler  loves,  and  nobler  cares. 
The  Poets,  who  on  earth  have  made  us  heirs 
Of  truth  and  pure  delight  by  heavenly  lays ! 

Rev.  F.  N.  Peloubet,  D.D.,  whites  of  the  8sth  Psalm, 
which  is  entitled  ''A  Psalm  of  the  Sons  of  Korah,  for  the 
Chief  Musician:" 

It  is  well  to  direct  our  attention  to  the  power  and  blessing 
of  singing  and  learning  and  repeating  hymns.  What  we  need  is 
inspiration,  uplift,  a  dwelling  in  the  highest  spiritual  atmosphere 
of  the  best  hymns  and  the  most  inspiring  music. 

We  need  to  sing  more  enthusiastic  songs  of  religion,  and  of 
our  leader,  Jesus  Christ.  In  the  struggles  of  the  Huguenots  for 
deeper  religion,  and  for  freedom  of  religious  life,  they  sang  the 
psalms  with  all  the  enthusiasm  of  their  souls.  In  France  the 
psalms  set  to  popular  music  became  one  of  the  principal  instru- 
ments in  the  success  of  the  Reformed  Church.    Children  learned 


20 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


them.  They  were  sung  at  every  meal  in  the  household  of  Prince 
Coligny,  The  psalms  sustained  the  courage  of  the  martyrs  in 
their  torture.  Simple  women  went  to  their  martyr  death  singing 
psalms;  and  virgins  went  to  the  scaffold  singing  psalms,  as 
gaily  as  to  their  bridal.  Brave  men  , went  to  battle  and  to  victory 
singing  the  psalms. 

From  an  article  by  Rev.  Francis  Edward  Marsten,  D.D., 
Pastor  of  Bethany  Presbyterian  Church,  New  York  City,  in 
"The  American  Messenger,"  on  ''Music  in  the  Sanctuary,"  I 
quote : 

All  symbolism  in  the  service  of  God's  house  ought  to  be 
worship.  Form  does  not  make  worship,  nor  does  art,  creed,' 
prayer  or  sermon.  Unless  the  form  is  filled  with  the  Spirit  of 
God,  it  is  empty,  void,  dead.  Dead  things  cannot  make  living 
spirituality.  God,  who  is  Spirit,  must  be  approached  in  spirit 
and  in  truth. 

Music  in  divine  worship  must  be  consecrated  by  the  spirit  and 
purpose  of  him  whose  expression  of  thought,  feeling  and  ador- 
ation it  is.  W^orship  must  be  conducted  by  consecrated  ves- 
sels through  which  the  fire  of  the  Holy  Spirit  speaks.  We  are 
exhorted  to  preach,  to  pray  and  to  sing.  The  one  function  is  as 
sacred  as  the  other.  It  is  the  religious  sentiment  that  stamps 
church  music  as  sacred  the  world  over.  Those  great  oratorios, 
written  by  devout  men,  such  as  "The  Messiah"  and  "Elijah," 
afford  in  their  divine  thought  fitting  expression  for  the  move- 
ments of  the  musical  composition.  They  are  not  simply  aggre- 
gations of  sweet  sounds  but  musical  thoughts,  expressing 
elevated  and  spiritual  conditions. 

In  a  book  entitled  ''A  Serious  Call  to  a  Devout  and  Holy 
Life,"  written  by  William  Law,  A.M.,  the  eighth  edition  of 
which  was  published  in  Dublin  in  1779,  there  is  something 
applicable  to  this  theme  that  is  very  interesting.    I  quote : 

There  is  one  thing  still  remaining,  that  you  must  be 
required  to  observe,  not  only  as  fit  and  proper  to  be  done,  but 
such  as  cannot  be  neglected  without  great  prejudice  to  your 
devotions.  And  that  is,  begin  all  your  prayers  with  a  psalm. 
This  is  so  right,  is  so  beneficial  to  devotion,  has  so  much  effect 
upon  our  hearts,  that  it  may  be  insisted  upon  as  a  common  rule 
for  all  persons.  I  do  not  mean  that  you  should  read  over  a 
psalm,  but  that  you  should  chant  it  or  sing  it.    For  singing  is  as 


Christian  Hymnology. 


21 


much  the  proper  use  of  a  psalm  as  devout  supplication  is  the 
proper  use  of  a  form  of  prayer.  And  a  psalm  that  is  only 
read  is  very  much  like  a  prayer  that  is  only  looked  over.  Now 
the  method  of  chanting  a  psalm  such  as  is  used  in  the  colleges 
and  universities  and  in  some  churches  is  such  as  all  persons  are 
capable  of.  You  are  therefore  to  consider  this  chanting  or 
singing  of  a  song  as  something  that  is  to  awaken  all  that  is  good 
and  holy  within  you,  that  is  to  call  your  spirits  to  their  proper 
duty,  and  to  tune  all  the  powers  of  your  soul  to  worship  and 
adoration.  For  there  is  nothing  that  so  clears  a  way  for  your 
^  prayers,  nothing  that  so  disperses  dullness  of  heart,  nothing  that 
so  purifies  the  soul  from  poor  and  little  passions,  nothing  that 
so  opens  heaven  or  carries  your  heart  so  near  it,  as  these  Songs 
of  Praise.  They  kindle  a  holy  flame,  they  turn  your  heart  into 
an  altar,  your  prayers  into  incense,  and  carry  them  as  a  sweet- 
smelling  savor  to  the  throne  of  Grace. 

Professor  John  Stuart  Blackie,  born  in  Glasgow,  1809; 
educated  at  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  and  its  Professor  of 
Greek,  1852,  issued  in  1857  a  volume  of  hymns  and  songs 
entitled  "Lays  and  Legends  of  Ancient  Greece  with  Other 
Poems,''  from  which  I  quote  this : 

I  sometimes  wish  myself  back  in  the  Middle  Ages,  when  the 
minstrel  was  the  only  teacher,  and  when  singing  was  almost  the 
only  sermon.  And  I  will  tell  you  why;  reading  is  a  stupid,  dull 
kind  of  thing,  but  singing  stirs  up  the  whole  soul.  In  the  best 
days  of  the  world  there  was  no  reading  and  no  books  at  all. 
Homer  never  saw  a  book,  never  could  have  seen  a  book.  I 
think  we  see  a  great  deal  too  many  books.  A  great  many  people 
become  mere  reading  machines,  having  no  living  functions 
at  all.  I  would  like  some  time  to  give  you  a  lecture  on  the  logic 
of  education.  It  simply  means  that  you  must  learn  to  use  your 
legs,  your  hands,  your  ears,  your  tongues,  and  your  throats — 
rather  than  to  be  crammed  up  with  all  sorts  of  things  and  then 
measured  with  red  tape  by  a  gentleman  from  London.  Especially 
if  you  wish  to  be  happy,  cultivate  song.  I  am  rather  a  young 
old  boy,  and  I  am  one  of  the  happiest  creatures  under  the  sun 
at  this  moment;  and  my  amusement  is  to  sing  songs.  In  railway 
coaches  and  other  places  I  see  a  number  smoking  what  they  call 
tobacco.  Well,  whatever  they  may  say  about  that,  it  is  not  an 
intellectual  or  a  moral  stimulant,  and  the  flavor  of  it  is  not  at  all  ' 
like  the  rose  or  any  poetic  thing  I  know.  It  is  essentially  a  vulgar 
sort  of  amusement.  My  amusement  is  to  sing  songs.  At  home 
I  am  always  singing  Scotch  songs;  and  abroad,  when  those 


22 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


wretches  are  smoking,  I  hum  to  myself,  "Scots  wha  hae,"  "A 
man's  a  man  for  a'  that,"  and  songs  of  that  kind.  I  advise  you 
to  do  the  same.  Your  soul  will  become  a  singing  bird,  and  then 
the  devil  won't  get  near  it. 

By  permission  I  quote  the  following  from  Rev.  Dr. 
William  B.  Bodine's  superb  work  entitled  "Some  Hymns  and 
Hymn  Writers'': 

Henry  Ward  Beecher  has  well  said :  "Hymns  are  the  expon- 
ents of  the  inmost  piety  of  the  Church.  They  are  crystalline 
tears,  or  blossoms  of  joy,  or  holy  prayers,  or  incarnated  raptures. 
They  are  the  jewels  which  the  Church  has  won;  the  pearls,  the 
diamonds  and  precious  stones  formed  into  amulets  more  potent 
against  sorrow  and  sadness  than  the  most  famous  charms  of 
wizard  or  magician.  And  he  who  knows  the  way  hymns  flowed, 
knows  where  the  blood  of  piety  ran,  and  can  trace  its  veins  and 
arteries  to  the  very  heart. 

There  are  Crusaders'  hymns,  that  rolled  forth  their  truth 
upon  the  Oriental  air,  while  a  thousand  horses'  hoofs  kept  time 
below  and  ten  thousand  palm  leaves  whispered  and  kept  time 
above.  Other  hymns  fulfilling  the  promise  of  God,  that  His 
saints  should  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles,  have  borne  up 
the  sorrows,  the  desires,  and  the  aspirations  of  the  poor,  the 
oppressed  and  the  persecuted,  of  Huguenots,  of  Covenanters, 
and  of  Puritans,  and  winged  them  to  the  bosom  of  God. 

One  hymn  hath  opened  the  morning  in  ten  thousand  families, 
and  dear  children,  with  sweet  voices,  have  charmed  the  evening 
«  in  a  thousand  places  with  the  utterance  of  another.  Nor  do  I 
know  of  any  steps  now  left  on  earth  by  which  one  may  so 
soon  rise  above  trouble  or  weariness  as  the  verses  of  a  hymn 
and  the  notes  of  a  tune.  And  if  the  angels  that  Jacob  saw  sang 
'  when  they  appeared,  then  I  know  that  the  ladder  which  he  beheld 
was  but  the  scale  of  divine  music  let  down  from  heaven  to  earth." 


Chapter  II. 


SOME  ANCIENT  HYMNS. 

Before  taking  up  for  consideration  the  period  of  years  that 
I  have  indicated,  brief  attention  will  be  given,  parenthetically, 
to  a  few  notable  hymns  written  centuries  earlier^  good  com- 
binations of  poetry  and  piety,  hymns  that  are  yet,  and  ever  will 
be,  sacredly  cherished  by  every  devout  soul  in  Christendom, 
sacred  poems  untouched  by  any  evolutionary  movement.  As 
examples  I  will  mention,  first,  one  by  Clement  of  Alexan- 
dria, third  century: 


Shepherd  of  tender  youth 
Guiding  in  love  and  truth, 

Through  devious  ways; 
Christ  our  triumphant  King, 
We  come  Thy  name  to  sing; 
Hither  our  children  bring, 

Tributes  of  praise. 


Ever  be  Thou  our  Guide, 
Our  Shepherd  and  our  pride, 

Our  staff  and  song; 
Jesus,  Thou  Christ  of  God, 
By  Thy  perennial  word 
Lead  us  where  Thou  hast  trod. 

Make  our  faith  strong. 


Another  by  St.  Andrew  of  Crete,  seventh  century: 


Christian !  dost  thou  see  them 

On  the  holy  ground. 
How  the  powers  of  darkness 

Rage  thy  steps  around  ? 
Christian  !  up  and  smite  them, 

Counting  gain  but  loss; 
In  the  strength  that  cometh 

By  the  holy  Cross. 

Christian !  dost  thou  feel  them, 

How  they  work  within. 
Striving,  tempting,  luring, 

Goading  into  sin? 
Christian  !  never  tremble ; 

Never  be  downcast; 
Gird  thee  for  the  battle. 

Watch  and  pray  and  fast. 


Christian !  dost  thou  hear  them. 

How  they  speak  thee  fair? 
"Always  fast  and  vigil? 

Always  watch  and  prayer?" 
Christian!  answer  boldly: 

"While  I  breathe  I  pray!" 
Peace  shall  follow  battle, 

Night  shall  end  the  day. 

'Well  I  know  thy  trouble, 

0  My  servant  true; 
Thou  art  very  weary, 

1  was  weary  too; 

But  that  toil  shall  make  thee 
Some  day  all  Mine  own, 

And  the  end  of  sorrow 

Shall  be  near  My  throne." 


(23) 


24 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Translated  as  we  have  it  by  Rev.  John  Mason  Neale,  of 
London,  half  a  century  ago,  it  was  revived  imperishably  1868 
by  John  B.  Dykes'  wonderfully  well  adapted  tune — St.  Andrew 
of  Crete. 

Many  of  the  grand  old  Latin  and  Greek  hymns  of  the  sixth 
to  ninth  centuries  are  sacredly  cherished  in  the  twentieth,  and 
will  ever  be.  There  is  in  them,  a  simplicity  and  depth  of  humble, 
trustful  piety  that  has  never  been  surpassed  by  latter-day 
hymnists.  Of  their  several  translations  into  English,  those  of 
Dr.  Neale  are  given  priority. 

The  ''Church  Hymnal"  (Episcopal),  of  1899,  contains 
twenty-three  of  Dr.  Neale's  translations,  and  the  new  hymnal 
of  the  Presbyterians  about  the  same  number.  One  that  is  in  all 
our  best  collections  is  the  following  by  an  unknown  author  of 
the  seventh  century.  Originally  it  comprised  nine  verses,  the 
first  beginning  ''Blessed  City,  Heavenly  Salem."  I  quote  the 
four  that  are  generally  selected  by  publishers.  Its  tune  should 
always  be  Henry  Smart's  Regent  Square. 


Christ  is  made  the  sure  foundation, 
Christ  the  head  and  corner-stone, 

Chosen  of  the  Lord,  and  precious, 
Binding  all  the  Church  in  one; 

Holy  Zion's  help  forever, 
And  her  confidence  alone. 

All  that  dedicated  city. 

Dearly  loved  of  God  on  high, 

In  exultant  jubilation 
Pours  perpetual  melody; 

God  the  One  in  Three  adoring. 
In  glad  hymns  eternally. 


To  this  temple  where  we  call  Thee, 
Come,  O  Lord  of  Hosts,  to-day; 

With  Thy  wonted  loving-kindness. 
Hear  Thy  people  as  they  pray; 

And  Thy  fullest  benediction 
Shed  within  its  walls  alway. 

Laud  and  honor  to  the  Father, 
Laud  and  honor  to  the  Son, 

Laud  and  honor  to  the  Spirit, 
Ever  Three  and  ever  One, 

Consubstantial,  co-eternal, 
While  unending  ages  run. 


An  ancient  Greek  hymn,  translated  1864  by  Rev.  Gerard 
Moultrie,  illustrating  in  verse  the  parable  of  the  five  wise  and 
five  foolish  virgins  (2Sth  of  Matthew),  is  as  beautiful  as  it  is 
true  to  its  text.   I  quote  it  all : 


Christian  Hymnology. 


25 


Behold,  the  Bridegroom  cometh  in  the  That  day,  the  day  of  fear  shall  come; 

middle  of  the  night,  my  soul  slack  not  thy  toil. 

And  blest  is  he  whose  loins  are  girt,  But  light  thy  lamp,  and  feed  it  well, 

whose  lamp  is  burning  bright;  and  make  it  bright  with  oil; 

But  woe  to  that  dull  servant  whom  the  Thou   knowest   not   how   soon  may 

Master  shall  surprise,  sound  the  cry  at  eventide. 

With  lamp  untrimmed,  unburning,  and  "Behold    the     Bridegroom     comes  ! 

with  slumber  in  his  eyes.  Arise ! 

Go  forth  to  meet  the  Bride !" 

Do  thou,  my  soul,  beware,  beware  lest  Beware,   my  soul !   take  thou  good 

thou  in  sleep  sink  down,  heed,  lest  thou  in  slumber  lie, 

Lest  thou  be  given  o'er  to  death,  and  And,  like  the  five,  remain  without,  and 

lose  the  golden  crown;  knock  and  vainly  cry; 

But  see  that  thou  be  sober,  with  a  But  watch,  and  bear  thy  lamp  un- 

watchful  eye,  and  thus  dimmed,   and   Christ   shall  gird 

Cry,  "Holy,  Holy,  Holy  God,  have  thee  on 

mercy  upon  us."  His  own  bright  wedding  robe  of  light, 

— the  glory  of  the  Son. 

Other  pious  poets  coming  later  are  John  of  Damascus, 
eighth  century,  author  of : 

"O  day  of  resurrection,  earth  tell  it  out  aloud" 

and 

"Come,  ye  faithful,  raise  the  strain  of  triumphant  gladness." 

St.  Stephen,  eighth  century,  nephew  of  John  of  Damas- 
cus, in  a  wilderness  of  distress  near  the  brook  Kedron,  wrote 
the  immortal  hymn : 

"Art  thou  weary,  art  thou  languid?" 

Eleven  hundred  years  later  this  precious  hymn  was  freely 
and  beautifully  transfused  into  English  by  Rev.  John  Mason 
Neale.  Its  union  with  Sir  Henry  W.  Baker's  tune,  Stepha- 
nos, should  never  be  broken,  although  Bullinger's  Geneva  is 
a  favorite  with  some. 

St.  Theodulph  of  Orleans,  ninth  century,  left  the  Chris- 
tian Church  a  golden  heritage  in  that  grand  Palm-Sunday 
hymn : 

All  glory,  laud,  and  honor,  Thou  art  the  King  of  Israel, 

To  Thee,  Redeemer,  King!  Thou  David's  royal  Son, 

To  whom  the  lips  of  children  Who  in  the  Lord's  Name  comest, 

Made  sweet  Hosannas  ring!  The  King  and  Blessed  One. 


26 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


The  company  of  angels 

Are  praising  Thee  on  high; 

And  mortal  men,  and  all  things 
Created,  make  reply. 

The  people  of  the  Hebrews 
With  palms  before  Thee  went; 

Our  praise  and  prayers  and  anthems 
Before  Thee  we  present. 


To  Thee  before  Thy  passion 

They  sang  their  hymns  of  praise; 

To  Thee,  now  high  exalted, 
Our  melody  we  raise. 

Thou  didst  accept  their  praises; 

Accept  the  prayers  we  bring. 
Who  in  all  good  delightest, 

Thou  good  and  gracious  King. 


Its  own  and  only  tune, 
Melchior  Teschner  in  1615. 

The  twelfth  century,  the 
Playne  Song,''  was  written, 
revealed.  As  translated  by 
beginning : 

Draw  nigh,  draw  nigh,  Emmanuel, 
And  ransom  captive  Israel, 
That  mourns  in  lonely  exile  here. 
Until  the  Son  of  God  appear. 
Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Emmanuel 
Shall  come  to  thee,  O  Israel! 


St.  Theodulph,  was  composed  by 

great  hymn  known  as  the  ''Jewish 
its  authorship  never  having  been 
Rev.  John  M.  Neale  we  have  it, 

Draw  nigh,  Thou  Day- Spring,  come 

and  cheer 
Our  spirits  by  Thine  Advent  here ; 
Disperse  the  gloomy  clouds  of  night, 
And   death's   dark   shadows   put  to 
flight. 

Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Emmanuel 
Shall  come  to  thee,  O  Israel ! 


Draw  nigh,  Thou  Rod  of  Jesse;  free 
Thine  own  from  Satan's  tyranny; 
From  depths  of  hell  Thy  people  save. 
And  give  them  victory  o'er  the  grave. 
Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Emmanuel 
Shall  come  to  thee,  O  Israel ! 


Draw  nigh,  draw  nigh,  Thou  Lord  of 
might ! 

Who  to  Thy  tribes,  on  Sinai's  height. 
In  ancient  times  didst  give  the  law, 
In  cloud,  and  majesty,  and  awe. 
Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Emmanuel 
Shall  come  to  thee,  O  Israel ! 


We  are  singing  it  yet  to  the  oldest  tune  of  record  in  the 
history  of  hymnody,  known  as  Jewish  Playne  Song;  and  to 
C.  Gounod's  Veni  Emmanuel.  The  meaning  of  "playne  song" 
is  given  in  Cranoner's  report  to  Henry  VIII  upon  the  transla- 
tion of  the  Liturgy  into  English:  "The  song  made  thereunto 
should  not  be  so  full  of  notes,  but  as  near  as  may  be  for  every 
syllable  a  note,  that  it  may  be  sung  distinctly  and  devoutly." 
It  was  not  to  be  "the  quavering  operose  music  which  is  called 
figured." 


Christian  Hymnology. 


27 


Among  the  Christian  centuries  the  twelfth  gleams  brightly 
with  a  name  to  live  evermore  for  its  glorious  Christian  hymns. 
It  was  then  that  Mary's  thanksgiving  song,  in  jubilant  response 
to  Elizabeth's  salutation — "My  soul  doth  magnify  tJie  Lord,  and 
my  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in  God,  my  Saviour,"  was  set  to  the 
sweet  strain  known  as  The  Magniiicat.  And  it  w^as  then  that 
St.  Bernard  of  Cluny  left  the  Church  the  priceless  lyric 
known  as  'The  Celestial  Country,"  from  which  Rev.  John  M. 
Neale  garnered  the  three  hymns  next  following,  which,  like  all 
of  his  perfect  translations,  have  greatly  enriched  the  treasury 
of  our  revered  spiritual  songs.  These  hymns  are  set  in  our  best 
hymnals  to  several  tunes,  the  favorites  being  Ewing,  by  Lieut. 
Col.  Alexander  Ewing;  O  Bona  Patria,  by  Sullivan;  St.  Al- 
phege,  by  Gauntlett,  and  Urbs  Beat  a,  by  Le  Jeune. 


Part  i 


Jerusalem,  the  golden ! 

With  milk  and  honey  blest ; 
Beneath  thy  contemplation 

Sink  heart  and  voice  opprest. 
I  know  not,  O,  I  know  not, 

What  joys  await  me  there ! 
What  radiancy  of  glory ! 

What  bliss  beyond  compare ! 

They  stand,  those  halls  of  Zion, 

All  jubilant  with  song, 
And  bright  with  many  an  angel. 

And  all  the  martyr  throng. 
The  Prince  is  ever  in  them, 

The  daylight  is  serene; 
The  pastures  of  the  blessed 

Are  decked  in  glorious  sheen. 


There  is  the  throne  of  David; 

And  there,  from  care  released, 
The  shout  of  them  that  triumph. 

The  song  of  them  that  feast. 
And  they,  who  with  their  leader, 

Have  conquered  in  the  fight, 
For  ever  and  for  ever 

Are  clad  in  robes  of  white. 

O  sweet  and  blessed  country, 

The  home  of  God's  elect! 
O  sweet  and  blessed  country. 

That  eager  hearts  expect ! 
Jesus,  in  mercy  bring  us. 

To  that  dear  land  of  rest ! 
Who  art,  with  God  the  Father, 

And  Spirit,  ever  blest. 


Part  2. 


For  thee,  O  dear,  dear  country, 

Mine  eyes  their  vigils  keep; 
For  very  love,  beholding 

Thy  happy  name,  they  weep: 
The  mention  of  thy  glory 

Is  unction  to  the  breast, 
And  medicine  in  sickness, 

And  love,  and  life,  and  rest. 


O  one,  O  only  mansion ! 

O  Paradise  of  joy! 
Where  tears  are  ever  banished, 

And  smiles  have  no  alloy; 
Thy  loveliness  oppresses 

All  human  thought  and  heart, 
And  none,  O  Peace,  O  Zion, 

Can  sing  thee  as  thou  art. 


28 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


With  jaspers  glow  thy  bulwarks, 

Thy  streets  with  emeralds  blaze ; 
The  sardius  and  the  topaz, 

Unite  in  thee  their  rays : 
Thine  ageless  walls  are  bonded 

With  amethysts  unpriced; 
Thy  saints  build  up  its  fabric, 

And  the  corner-stone  is  Christ. 

Part 

Brief  life  is  here  our  portion, 

Brief  sorrow,  short-lived  care; 
The  life  that  knows  no  ending, 

The  tearless  life  is  there ! 
O  happy  retribution ! 

Short  toil,  eternal  rest, 
For  mortals  and  for  sinners, 

A  mansion  with  the  blest ! 

And  now  we  fight  the  battle, 

But  then  shall  wear  the  crown 
Of  full  and  everlasting 

And  passionless  renown; 
And  He  Whom  now  we  trust  in. 

Shall  then  be  seen  and  known, 
And  they  that  know  and  see  Him, 

Shall  have  Him  for  their  own. 


The  cross  is  all  thy  splendor, 

The  Crucified  thy  praise; 
His  laud  and  benediction 

Thy  ransomed  people  raise : 
Upon  the  Rock  of  Ages 

They  build  thy  holy  tower; 
Thine  is  the  victor's  laurel. 

And  thine  the  golden  dower. 


There  grief  is  turned  to  pleasure; 

Such  pleasure  as  below 
No  human  voice  can  utter. 

No  human  heart  can  know; 
And  after  fleshly  weakness. 

And  after  this  world's  night. 
And  after  storm  and  whirlwind, 

Are  calm,  and  joy,  and  light. 

The  morning  shall  awaken. 

And  shadows  shall  decay. 
And  each  true-hearted  servant 

Shall  shine  as  doth  the  day; 
Yes !  God  my  King  and  portion. 

In  fullness  of  His  grace. 
We  then  shall  see  forever, 

And  worship  face  to  face. 


The  folloMang,  one  of  the  most  pathetic  of  the  Latin  hymns 
by  the  Clunian  Saint,  has  survived  seven  hundred  years,  and  is 
still  in  use  by  the  Roman  Catholic  Church : 


By  the  cross,  sad  vigil  keeping. 
Stood  the  mournful  mother  weeping. 

While  on  it  the  Saviour  hung; 
In  that  hour  of  deep  distress, 
Pierced  the  sword  of  bitterness 

Thro'  her  heart  with  sorrow  wrung. 

Oh,  how  sad — how  woe-begone. 
Was  that  ever  blessed  one, 

Mother  of  the  Son  of  God ! 
Oh,  what  bitter  tears  she  shed. 
Whilst  before  her  Jesus  bled, 

'Neath  the  Father's  penal  rod ! 


Who's  the  man  could  view  unmoved 
Christ's  sweet  mother,  whom  He  loved 

In  such  dire  extremity? 
Who  his  pitying  tears  withhold, 
Christ's  sweet  mother  to  behold. 

Sharing  in  his  agony? 

Ever  with  thee,  at  thy  side, 
'Neath  the  Christ,  the  crucified. 

Mournful  mother,  let  me  be ! 
By  the  cross,  sad  vigil  keeping, 
Ever  watchful,  ever  weeping. 

Thy  companion  constantly. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


29 


Another  Bernard,  of  the  Convent  of  Clairvaux,  known  as 
the  most  learned  and  devout  saint  of  the  twelfth  century,  whom 
Luther  avowed  was  the  best  monk  who  ever  lived,  was  the 
author  of  many  grand  lyrics,  the  excellent  translations  of  which 
seem  to  be  immortalized.  Among  them  are  the  following  three, 
which  I  quote  in  part : 


O  Sacred  Head,  now  wounded, 

With    grief    and    shame  weighed 
down ; 

Now  scornfully  surrounded 

With  thorns  Thine  only  crown; 

O  Sacred  Head,  w^hat  glory, 
What  bliss  till  now  was  Thine ! 

Yet,  though  despised  and  gory, 
I  joy  to  call  Thee  mine. 


What  Thou,  my  Lord,  hast  suffered, 

Was  all  for  sinners'  gain; 
Mine,  mine  was  the  transgression, 

But  Thine  the  deadly  pain. 
Lo,  here  I  fall,  my  Saviour ! 

'Tis  I  deserve  Thy  place; 
Look  on  me  with  Thy  favor. 

Vouchsafe  to  me  Thy  grace. 


What  language  shall  I  borrow 

To  thank  Thee,  dearest  friend. 
For  this  Thy  dying  sorrow. 

Thy  pity  without  end? 
O  make  me  Thine  forever, 

And  should  I  fainting  be. 
Lord  let  me  never,  never. 

Outlive  my  love  to  Thee. 


2. 


Jesus,  the  very  thought  of  Thee, 
With  sweetness  fills  the  breast; 

But  sweeter  far  Thy  face  to  see, 
And  in  Thy  presence  rest. 

No  voice  can  sing,  no  heart  can  frame, 

Nor  can  the  memory  find, 
A  sweeter  sound  than  Jesus'  Name, 

The  Saviour  of  mankind. 


O  hope  of  every  contrite  heart, 

O  joy  of  all  the  meek. 
To  those  who  fall,  how  kind  Thou  art ! 

How  good  to  those  who  seek ! 

But  what  to  those  who  find?  Ah,  this 
Nor  tongue  nor  pen  can  show; 

The  love  of  Jesus,  what  it  is 
None  but  His  loved  ones  know. 


Jesus,  our  only  joy  be  Thou, 
As  Thou  our  prize  wilt  be; 

In  Thee  be  all  our  glory  now, 
And  through  eternity. 


Jesus,  Thou  joy  of  loving  hearts ! 
Thou  fount  of  life !  Thou  light  of 
men ! 

From  the  best  bliss  that  earth  imparts 
We  turn  unfill'd  to  Thee  again. 


Thy  truth  unchanged  hath  ever  stood ; 
Thou  savest  those  that  on  Thee 
call; 

To  them  that  seek  Thee,  Thou  art 
good. 

To  them  that  find  Thee,  all  in  all. 


30 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


We  taste  Thee,  O  Thou  living  bread ! 

And  long  to  feast  upon  Thee  still; 
We  drink  of  Thee  the  Fountain  Head, 

And  thirst,  from  Thee  our  souls 
to  fill. 


Our  restless  spirits  yearn  for  Thee, 

W^here'er  our  changeful  lot  is  cast; 
Glad,  when  Thy  gracious  smile  we 
see. 

Blest,  when  our  faith  can  hold  Thee 
fast. 


O  Jesus,  ever  with  us  stay! 

Make  all  our  moments  calm  and  bright! 
Chase  the  dark  night  of  sin  away ! 

Shed  o'er  the  world  Thy  holy  light. 


Peter  Abelard,  twelfth  century,  composed,  and  Dr.  J.  M. 
Neale,  in  1854,  translated  the  splendid  hymn  of  which  I  quote 
four  verses : 


O,  what  their  joy  and  their  glory  must 
be, 

Those  endless  Sabbaths  the  blessed 
ones  see; 

Crown  for  the  valiant,  to  weary  ones 
rest; 

God  shall  be  All,  and  in  all  ever 
blest. 

We,  where  no  trouble  distraction  can 
bring. 

Safely  the  anthems  of  Zion  shall  sing; 
While   for   Thy  grace,   Lord,  their 

voices  of  praise 
Thy  blessed  people  shall  evermore 

raise. 


Now  in  the  meanwhile,  with  hearts 

raised  on  high, 
We  for  that  country  must  yearn  and 

must  sigh; 
Seeking  Jerusalem,  dear  native  land. 
Through  our  long  exile  on  Babylon's 

strand. 

Low  before  Him  with  our  praises  we 
fall. 

Of  whom,  and  in  whom,  and  through 

whom  are  all; 
Of  whom,  the  Father;  and  in  whom, 

the  Son, 

Through  whom,  the  Spirit,  with  these, 
ever  One. 


Thomas  of  Celano,  thirteenth  century,  wrote  the  splendid 
hymn  of  nineteen  verses,  ''Dies  Irae,"  ''Day  of  Wrath,  O,  Day 
of  Mourning,"  which,  with  Dykes'  incomparable  tune,  is  pre- 
served intact  in  some  of  our  higher-class  hymnals. 

The  same  author  is  responsible  for  the  doleful  hymn 

That  day  of  wrath,  that  dreadful  day 
When  heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away. 
What  power  shall  be  the  sinner's  stay? 
How  shall  he  meet  that  dreadful  day? 


Christian  Hymnology. 


31 


It  may  still  be  found  in  a  few  of  our  church  hymnals,  set 
to  its  appropriate,  depressing  tune,  Windham,  composed  by 
Daniel  Read,  A.  D.  1785. 

With  heartfelt  gratitude  we  recall  and  revere  God's  own 
Martin  Luther,  sixteenth  century,  for  his  thirty  to  forty 
courageous  hymns,  some  versions  of  the  Psalms,  others  of  Latin 
renderings,  and  a  few  of  original  composing.  Of  his  versions 
of  the  Psalms,  that  of  the  46th,  ''Ein  Feste  Burg,"  has  held 
firmest  hold  of  us  to  this  day. 

Dr.  Philip  Schaff,  great  Germa;n-American  scholar,  in  an 
article  on  German  hymnody,  in  ''Dr.  Julian's  Dictionary  of 
Hymnology,"  says  of  Luther  and  this  hymn :  ''The  leader  of  the 
Reformation  was  also  the  first  evangelical  hymnist.  To  Luther 
belongs  the  extraordinary  merit  of  having  given  to  the  German 
people  in  their  own  tongue  the  Bible,  the  Catechism  and  the 
Hymn  Book,  so  that  God  might  speak  directly  to  them  in  His 
word,  and  that  they  might  directly  answer  Llini  in  their  songs. 
Some  of  them  are  immortal ;  most  of  all,  that  triumphant  war- 
cry  of  the  Reformation  which  has  so  often  been  reproduced  in 
other  languages,  and  which  resounds  with  mighty  effects  on 
great  occasions — 'Kin'  feste  Burg  ist  unser  Gott'  "  : 


A  mighty  fortress  is  our  God, 

A  bulwark  never  failing; 
Our  Helper  He,  amid  the  flood 

Of  mortal  ills  prevailing. 
For  still  our  ancient  foe, 
Doth  seek  to  work  us  woe ; 
His  craft  and  power  are  great, 
And,  armed  with  cruel  hate, 

On  earth  is  not  His  equal. 

Did  we  in  our  own  strength  confide. 
Our  striving  would  be  losing; 

Were  not  the  right  man  on  our  side, 
The  man  of  God's  own  choosing. 

Dost  ask  who  that  may  be? 

Christ  Jesus,  it  is  He; 

Lord  Sabaoth  is  His  name, 

From  age  to  age  the  same, 
And  He  must  win  the  battle. 


And  though  this  world,  with  devils 
filled. 

Should  threaten  to  undo  us; 
We  will  not  fear,  for  God  hath  willed 

His  truth  to  triumph  through  us. 
The  Prince  of  darkness  grim — 
We  tremble  not  for  him; 
His  rage  we  can  endure. 
For  lo,  his  doom  is  sure. 

One  little  word  shall  fell  him. 

That  word  above  all  earthly  powers — 
No  thanks  to  them — abideth; 

The  Spirit  and  the  gifts  are  ours 
Through  Him  who  with  us  sideth. 

Let  goods  and  kindred  go. 

This  mortal  life  also; 

The  body  they  may  kill: 

God's  truth  abideth  still, 
His  kingdom  is  forever. 


32 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


As  written  by  Luther,  this  great  hymn  consisted  of  eight 
verses  of  nine  Hnes  each.  The  most  highly  regarded  of  its  sev- 
eral translations  from  the  German  to  English  was  made  by  Rev. 
F.  H.  Pledge,  D.D.,  1852,  although  some  give  precedence  to 
Thomas  Carlyle's,  1831.  Dr.  Hedge's  is  now  generally 
adopted  by  publishers,  although  they  all  cut  it  down  from  eight 
to  four  verses.  I  quote  the  vigorous  eighth  verse  as  a  sample 
of  the  four  discarded  ones : 

God's  word  for  all  their  craft  and  force 

One  moment  will  not  linger; 
But  spite  of  hell  shall  have  its  course ; 

'Tis  written  by  His  finger. 
And  though  they  take  our  life, 
Goods,  honor,  children,  wife; 
Yet  is  their  profit  small; 
These  things  may  vanish  all : 

The  city  of  God  remaineth. 

This  is  one  of  the  hymns  that  should  never  have  been  scis- 
sored. We  know  the  regulation  idea  that,  in  church  services, 
four  or  five  verses  of  any  hymn  should  suffice,  but  would  it  not 
be  well  to  make  exceptions,  even  at  the  cost  of  cutting  five  min- 
utes off  a  weighty  sermon  ?    Don't  hymns  preach  to  us  ? 

Another  sixteenth  century  Christian  poet  is  Rev.  William 
Kethe,  author  of  our  ever-living  "Old  Hundredth." 

All  people  that  on  earth  do  dwell,  O  enter  then  His  gates  with  praise, 

Sing  to   the   Lord   with   cheerful  Approach  with  joy  His  courts  unto ; 

voice;  Praise,  laud,  and  bless  His  name  al- 

Him  serve  with  fear,  His  praise  forth  ways,  , 

tell,  For  it  is  seemly  so  to  do. 
Come  ye  before  Llim  and  rejoice. 

Know  that  the  Lord  is  God  indeed;  For  why!  the  Lord  our  God  is  good, 
Without  our  aid  He  did  us  make;        His  mercy  is  forever  sure; 

We  are  His  flock.  He  doth  us  feed.  His  truth  at  all  times  firmly  stood, 
And  for  His  sheep  He  doth  us  take.        And  shall  from  age  to  age  endure. 

The  tune  composed  for  it  in  1551,  called  Old  Hundred, 
is  found  in  the  "Genevan  Psalter"  of  that  date,  and  is  still 
honored  with  a  place  in  all  our  good  church  hymn  books. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


33 


The  seventeenth  century  gave  to  the  world  the  sacred 
poems  of  Bishop  Thomas  Ken,  Rev.  Richard  Baxter,  Joseph 
Addison,  Rev.  Johann  Heermann,  Rev.  George  Herbert, 
Rev.  Paulus  Gerhardt.  Paramount  among  them  stands 
Bishop  Ken,  whom,  though  we  have  seen  him  not,  we  revere 
for  his  gift  to  us  of  our  immortahzed  universal  ''Doxology" : 

"Praise  God,  from  Whom  all  blessings  flow," 

written  in  1692.  It  is  the  closing  verse  of  his  soul-uplifting 
"Morning  Hymn'': 


Awake,  my  soul,  and  with  the  sun. 
Thy  daily  stage  of  duty  run; 
Shake  off  dull  sloth,  and  early  rise 
To  pay  thy  morning  sacrifice. 

Redeem  thy  misspent  time  that's  past, 
And  live  this  day  as  if  thy  last; 
Improve  thy  talent  with  due  care; 
For  the  great  day  thyself  prepare. 


Lord,  I  my  vows  to  Thee  renew; 
Scatter  my  sins  as  morning  dew ; 
Guard  my  first  springs  of  thought  and 
will, 

And  with  Thyself  my  spirit  fill. 

Direct,  control,  suggest,  this  day, 
All  I  design,  or  do,  or  say; 
That  all  my  pow'rs,  with  all  their 
might, 

In  Thy  sole  glory  may  unite. 


Praise  God,  from  Whom  all  blessings  flow; 
Praise  Him,  all  creatures  here  below; 
Praise  Him  above,  angelic  host; 
Praise  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 


His  inimitable  ''Evening  Hymn"  will  endure  forever.  Its 
first  verse  is : 


All  praise  to  Thee,  my  God,  this  night, 
For  all  the  blessings  of  the  light; 
Keep  me,  O  keep  me,  King  of  kings, 
Beneath  Thine  own  almighty  wings. 

Forgive  me,  Lord,  for  Thy  dear  Son, 
The  ill  that  I  this  day  have  done; 
That   with   the   world,   myself,  and 
Thee, 

I,  ere  I  sleep,  at  peace  may  be. 


Teach  me  to  live,  that  I  may  dread. 
The  grave  as  little  as  my  bed; 
Teach  me  to  die,  that  so  I  may 
Rise  glorious  at  the  awful  day. 

O  may  my  soul  on  Thee  repose, 
And  may  .  sweet  sleep  mine  eyelids 
close ; 

Sleep  that  shall  me  more  vigorous 
make, 

To  serve  my  God  when  I  awake. 


34 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


When  in  the  night  I  sleepless  lie, 
My  soul  with  heavenly  thoughts  sup- 
ply; 

Let  no  ill  dreams  disturb  my  rest, 
No  powers  of  darkness  me  molest. 


O  when  shall  I  in  endless  day, 
Forever  chase  dark  sleep  away, 
And  hymns  divine  with  angels  sing, 
All  praise  to  Thee,  Eternal  King? 


Praise  God,  from  Whom  all  blessings  flow; 
Praise  Him,  all  creatures  here  below; 
Praise  Him  above,  angelic  host; 
Praise  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 


The  Church  has  been  singing  it  to  TalHs's  Evening  Hymn, 
as  the  consecrated  tune  is  named,  for  more  than  two  centuries. 

Rev.  Dr.  WiUiam  B.  Bodine,  in  his  book,  from  which  I  have 
quoted,  says  of  this  wonderful  doxology : 

I  had  rather  have  written  those  words  than  anything  else 
ever  written  by  man,  composed  only  of  four  brief  lines.  They 
seem  fitting  words  to  be  sung  by  the  myriad  hosts  of  the 
redeemed,  when  in  the  great  day  of  final  reward  they  shall 
stand  before  the  throne  with  palms  in  their  hands  and  boundless 
rejoicing  in  their  souls. 

The  poet  Montgomery  has  well  said,  "Bishop  Ken  has  laid 
the  Church  of  Christ  under  abiding  obligations  by  his  three 
hymns.  Morning,  Evening  and  Midnight.  Had  he  endowed  three 
hospitals  he  might  have  been  less  a  benefactor  to  humanity." 

In  John  Wesley's  "Hymns  for  the  People  Called  Meth- 
odists,'' 1779,  this  "Morning  Hymn"  contains  these  two  verses 
not  appearing  in  our  present-day  books,  followed  by  the  dox- 
ology : 


Let  all  thy  converse  be  sincere. 
Thy  conscience  as  the  noon-day  clear ; 
For  God's  all-seeing  eye  surveys 
Thy  secret  thoughts,  thy  words  and 
ways. 


Wake  and  lift  up  thyself,  my  heart, 
And  with  the  angels,  take  thy  part; 
Who  all  night  long  unwearied  sing, 
High  glory  to  the  eternal  King. 


Praise  God,  from  Whom  all  blessmgs  now; 
Praise  Him  all  creatures  here  below; 
Praise  Him  above,  ye  heavenly  host; 
Praise  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 


Rev.  Samuel  W.  Duffield,  in  his  ''English  Hymns,"  says: 
*There  are  thirty-two  editions  of  Bishop  Ken's  'Manual' 


Christian  Hymnology. 


35 


from  1674  to  1799.  The  present  writer  has  also  seen  the 
'Morning'  and  'Evening'  hymns,  in  ten  syhable  verses,  in  the 
famous  'Thumb  Bible.'  "  This  is  a  small  copy  of  the  Word  of 
God,  prepared  by  Jeremy  Taylor  for  the  son  of  Princess  Anne, 
who  died  in  1700.  *  The  prefixed  motto  speaks  more  for 
the  editor's  piety  than  for  his  grammar : 

With  care  and  pains,  out  of  the  Sacred  Book, 
This  little  abstract  I  for  thee  have  took. 


In  the  child's  Bible  the  "Morning  Hymn"  is  given  thus : 

Glory  to  Thee,  my  God,  who  safe  hast  kept. 
And  me  refreshed,  while  I  securely  slept. 
Lord,  this  day  guard  me,  lest  I  may  transgress; 
And  all  my  undertakings  guide  and  bless. 
And  since  to  Thee,  my  vows  I  now  renew, 
Scatter  my  by-past  sins  as  Morning  Dew; 
That  so  Thy  glory  may  shine  clear  this  day. 
In  all  I  either  think,  or  do,  or  say :  Amen. 


Bishop  Ken  used  to  sing  his  ''Morning  Hymn"  to  his  own 
accompaniment  on  the  lute.  He  joined  the  ''Choir  Invisible" 
in  1711. 

A  spirit-rousing  "Morning  Hymn,"  written  by  F.  R.  VoN 
Canitz,  late  in  the  seventeenth  century,  treasured  in  the  twen- 
tieth, is : 


Come  my  soul,  thou  must  be  waking! 
Now  is  breaking 

O'er  the  earth  another  day: 
Come  to  Him  Who  made  this  splen- 
dor. 

See  thou-  render 

All  thy  feeble  strength  can  pay. 


Think  that  He  thy  ways  beholdeth; 
He  unfoldeth 

Every  thought  that  lurks  within; 
He  the  hidden  shame  glossed  over 
Can  discover 

And  discern  each  deed  of  sin. 


Pray  that  He  may  prosper  ever 
Each  endeavor. 

When  thine  aim  is  good  and  true ! 
But  that  He  may  ever  thwart  thee ; 
And  convert  thee, 

When  thou  evil  would'st  pursue. 


Mayest  thou  on  life's  last  morrow, 
Free  from  sorrow, 

Pass  away  in  slumber  sweet; 
And,  released  from  death's  dark  sad- 
ness, 
Rise  in  gladness. 

That  far  brighter  Sun  to  greet. 


36 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Only  God's  free  gifts  abuse  not, 
Light  refuse  not, 

But  His  Spirit's  voice  obey; 
Thou  with  Him  shalt  dwell,  beholding 
Light  enfolding 

All  things  in  unclouded  day. 

Two  well-adapted  tunes  claim  this  hymn — Haydn, 
arranged  from  Joseph  Haydn,  eighteenth  century,  and  Lux 
Prima,  by  Sir  John  Stainer,  1872. 


Chapter  III. 


SOME  OF  OUR  OLD  HYMN  BOOKS. 

Reluctantly  leaving  these  ante-eighteenth  century  hym- 
nists,  I  will  now  give  place  to  the  psalms  and  hymns  of  the 
period  already  mapped  out  for  this  sketch,  from  the  middle  of 
the  eighteenth,  along  through  the  nineteenth  century,  the  years 
of  our  dear  fathers  and  grandfathers,  with  whose  memories  we 
are  still  in  loving  touch.  Of  publications  covering  this  period  I 
have  many  faithfully  used  old  psalm  and  hymn  books,  treas- 
ured family  heirlooms,  among  which  are — 

John  Wesley's  Collection,  1779. 

Wesley's  Hymns,  1795. 

"The  Easy  Instructor  or  Sacred  Harmony/'  by  William 
Little,  1798  and  1807. 

''Dr.  Timothy  Dwight's  Collection,"  1800,  ''ordered  by 
joint  action  of  the  General  Association  of  the  State  of  Connec- 
ticut and  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  U.  S.  A." 

John  Dobell's  "New  Selection  of  Seven  Hundred  Evan- 
gelical Hymns;  Many  Original,"  1806. 

"Maryland  Sunday  School  Hymn  Book,"  1810. 

"Watts'  Psalms,  Carefully  Suited  to  Christian  Worship," 
4  X  2j4  X  I  inch,  containing  353  versions  of  the  Psalms  and 
366  hymns,  181 3. 

"Dobell's  Enlarged  New  Edition,"  1825. 

"Village  Hymns,  Watts,"  1825. 

Dr.  John  Rippon's  "Selection  of  Hymns,"  1826. 

"The  Sunday  School  Hymn  Book,"  published  by  the  Amer- 
ican S.  S.  Union,  370  hymns,  1826.  It  is  ^  inch  thick,  2^ 
inches  wide,  4  inches  long. 

"The  Psalms  of  David,  Imitated  in  the  Language  of  the 
New  Testament,"  by  Dr.  Watts,  1828,  with  225  versions  of 
Psalms  and  366  hymns,  entitled  "Hymns  and  Spiritual  Songs." 

(37) 


38 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


'The  Christian  Lyre,"  unique,  in  that  all  its  hymns  are 
provided  with  tunes,  1833. 

'Tsalms  and  Hymns  of  Dr.  Watts,"  arranged  by  Dr. 
Rippon,  1834,  containing  1310  hymns,  published  by  J.  B.  Lip- 
pincott  &  Co.,  Philadelphia. 

"Psalms  and  Hymns,"  approved  by  The  General  Assembly 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A.,  1838.  Of  its  about 
900  psalms  and  hymns,  548  are  compositions  of  Isaac  Watts. 
This  was  entered  according  to  act  of  Congress  by  George 
Fleming,  1834. 

"Psalms  and  Hymns"  adapted  to  social,  private  and  public 
worship  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A.,  etc.,  1843. 
Five  editions  were  published  during  the  succeeding  twenty 
years. 

"Parish  Psalmody,"  published  by  Perkins  &  Purvis,  Phila- 
delphia, 1844;  and  a  magnificent  large  volume  of  same  name, 
published  by  Henry  Perkins  in  1849.  This  book  contains  a  per- 
fect index  of  first  lines  of  stanzas,  4270  in  number. 

"Methodist  Hymns,"  1849 — ^  book  3^  inches  long  x 
wide  X  I  inch  thick,  containing  1046  hymns,  chiefly  by  Watts 
and  Charles  Wesley. 

The  first  book  named  in  the  foregoing  list  is  entitled  "A 
Collection  of  Hymns  for  the  Use  of  the  People  Called  Meth- 
odists," by  the  Rev.  John  Wesley,  M.A.,  sometime  Fellow  of 
Lincoln  College,  Oxford.  At  the  date  of  its  preface,  October 
20,  1779,  John  Wesley  was  in  the  73d  year  of  his  age.  It 
includes  a  supplement,  dated  1830.  This  little  book,  x3^ 
inches  and  ^  inches  thick,  contains  769  hymns  with  most  elab- 
orate indices,  including  index  to  every  verse,  4000  in  number, 
and  200  "Subjects"  of  hymns,  beginning  with  Abraham  and 
ending  with  Zerubbabel.  Thirty-four  of  the  thirty-nine  books 
of  the  Old  Testament,  and  all  the  books  of  the  New  Testament 
are  illustrated. 

As  its  egoistic  introduction  throws  a  strong  light  on  Wes- 
ley's peculiar  characteristics  and  presents  to  us  moderns  an 
interesting  study  of  the  old  hymn  book  business  and  of  these 
ancient  hymnals,  I  quote  it  without  abridgement : 


Christian  Hymnology. 


1.  For  many  years  I  have  been  importuned  to  publish  such 
a  hymn-book  as  might  be  generally  used  in  all  our  congregations 
throughout  Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  I  have  hitherto  withstood 
the  importunity,  as  I  believed  such  a  publication  was  needless, 
considering  the  various  hymn-books  which  my  brother  and  I  have 
published  within  these  forty  years  last  past;  so  that  it  may  be 
doubted  whether  any  religious  community  in  the  world  has  a 
greater  variety  of  them. 

2.  But  it  has  been  answered,  "Such  a  publication  is  highly 
needful  upon  this  very  account;  for  the  greater  part  of  the  people, 
being  poor,  are  not  able  to  purchase  so  many  books;  and  those 
that  have  purchased  them  are,  as  it  were,  bewildered  in  the 
immense  variety.  A  proper  collection  of  hymns  for  general  use, 
carefully  made  out  of  all  these  books,  is  therefore  still  wanting; 
and  one  comprised  in  so  moderate  a  compass,  as  to  be  neither 
cumbersome  nor  expensive." 

3.  It  has  been  replied,  "You  have  such  a  collection  already, 
(entitled  'Hymns  and  Spiritual  Songs')  which  I  extracted  several 
years  ago  from  a  variety  of  hymn-books."  But  it  is  objected, 
"This  is  in  the  other  extreme:  it  is  far  too  small.  It  does  not,  it 
cannot,  in  so  narrow  a  compass,  contain  variety  enough ;  not  so 
much  as  we  want,  among  whom  singing  makes  so  considerable  a 
part  of  the  public  service.  What  we  want  is  a  collection  not  too 
large,  that  it  may  be  cheap  and  portable;  nor  too  small  that  it 
may  contain  a  sufficient  variety  for  all  ordinary  occasions." 

4.  Such  a  hymn-book  you  have  now  before  you.  It  is  not  so 
large  as  to  be  either  cumbersome  or  expensive ;  and  it  is  large 
enough  to  contain  such  a  variety  of  hymns  as  will  not  soon  be 
worn  threadbare.  It  is  large  enough  to  contain  all  the  most 
important  truths  of  our  most  holy  religion,  whether  speculative 
or  practical;  yea,  to  illustrate  them  all,  and  to  prove  them  both  by 
Scripture  and  reason ;  and  this  is  done  in  regular  order.  The 
hymns  are  not  carelessly  jumbled  together  but  carefully  ranged 
under  proper  heads,  according  to  the  experience  of  real 
Christians.  So  that  this  book  is,  in  effect,  a  little  body  of  experi- 
mental and  practical  divinity. 

5.  As  but  a  small  part  of  these  hymns  is  of  my  own  compos- 
ing, I  do  not  think  it  inconsistent  with  modesty  to  declare,  that 
I  am  persuaded  no  such  hymn-book  as  this  has  yet  been  pub- 
lished in  the  English  language.  In  what  other  publication  of  the 
kind  have  you  so  distinct  and  full  an  account  of  scriptural 
Christianity?  such  a  declaration  of  the  heights  and  depths  of 
religion,  speculative  and  practical?  so  strong  cautions  against 
the  most  plausible  errors;  particularly  those  that  are  now  most 
prevalent?  and  so  clear  directions  for  making  your  calling  and 
election  sure;  for  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God? 


40 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


6.  May  I  be  permitted  to  add  a  few  words  with  regard  to 
the  poetry?  Then  I  will  speak  to  those  who  are  judges  thereof 
with  all  freedom  and  unreserve.  To  these  I  may  say,  without 
offence,  i.  In  these  hymns  there  is  no  doggerel;  no  botches; 
nothing  put  in  to  patch  up  the  rhyme;  no  feeble  expletives.  2. 
Here  is  nothing  turgid  or  bombast,  on  the  one  hand,  or  low  and 
creeping,  on  the  other.  3.  Here  are  no  cant  expressions;  no 
words  without  meaning.  Those  who  impute  this  to  us  know  not 
what  they  say.  We  talk  common  sense,  both  in  prose  and  verse, 
and  use  no  words  but  in  a  fixed  and  determinate  sense.  4.  Here 
are,  allow  me  to  say,  both  the  purity,  the  strength,  and  the 
elegance  of  the  English  language;  and,  at  the  same  time,  the 
utmost  simplicity  and  plainness,  suited  to  every  capacity.  Lastly, 
I  desire  men  of  taste  to  judge  (these  are  the  only  competent 
judges)  whether  there  be  not  in  some  of  the  following  hymns 
the  true  spirit  of  poetry,  such  as  cannot  be  acquired  by  art  and 
labour,  but  must  be  the  gift  of  nature.  By  labour  a  man  may 
become  a  tolerable  imitator  of  Spenser,  Shakespeare,  or  Milton, 
and  may  heap  together  pretty  compound  epithets,  as  "pale-eyed" 
"meek-eyed,"  and  the  like;  but  unless  he  be  born  a  poet,  he  will 
never  attain  the  genuine  spirit  of  poetry. 

7.  And  here  I  beg  leave  to  mention  a  thought  which  has 
been  long  upon  my  mind,  and  which  I  should  long  ago  have 
inserted  in  the  public  papers,  had  I  not  been  unwilling  to  stir  up 
a  nest  of  hornets.  Many  gentlemen  have  done  my  brother  and 
me  (though  without  naming  us)  the  honour  to  reprint  many  of 
our  hymns.  Now  they  are  perfectly  welcome  so  to  do,  provided 
they  print  them  just  as  they  are.  But  I  desire  they  would  not 
attempt  to  mend  them;  for  they  really  are  not  able.  None  of 
them  is  able  to  mend  either  the  sense  or  the  verse.  Therefore,  I 
must  beg  of  them  one  of  these  two  favours:  either  to  let  them 
stand  just  as  they  are,  to  take  them  for  better  for  worse;  or  to 
add  the  true  reading  in  the  margin  or  at  the  bottom  of  the  page ; 
that  we  may  no  longer  be  accountable  either  for  the  nonsense  or 
for  the  doggerel  of  other  men. 

This  entire  preface  of  nearly  1000  words  is  printed  on  a 
single  page  of  this  tiny  book. 

The  published  hymns  of  John  Wesley  and  his  younger 
brother,  Charles,  outnumbered  those  of  any  others  in  ancient 
history,  excepting  only  Dr.  Watts.  Some  of  John's,  but  many 
more  of  Charles',  have  continued  in  use  to  this  day.  As  many 
of  Dr.  Watts'  have  survived  as  of  the  two  Wesleys'  combined. 
As  these  three,  and  others  of  their  times,  flooded  the  market 


Christian  Hymnology. 


41 


with  thousands,  some  of  them  treasured  to-day,  and  worthy  of 
perpetuation,  it  is  pertinent  to  ask  why  have  the  most  of  them 
been  lost  to  sight  and  to  memory?  Why  have  they  been  aban- 
doned? There's  a  reason!  The  evolutionary  law  of  the  sur- 
vival of  the  fittest  has  been  working  for  us.  The  pure  air  of  our 
Christian  assemblies  will  never  more  vibrate  with  such  songs 
as  these  from  which  I  shall  now  quote  some  verses.  It  will  be 
observed  that,  while  they  sound  a  terrible  warning  to  all  sin- 
ners, many  are  addressed  particularly  to  the  rich,  the  princes, 
the  high  and  mighty  powers,  "The  powers  that  be,"  against 
whom  fiery  darts  are  hurled  with  dire  threatenings  of  fearful 
vengeance  and  everlasting  pains.  It  will  also  be  observed  that, 
while  anathematizing  these  classes,  the  final  verse  of  each  gen- 
erally gives  utterance  to  a  joyful  assurance  that  the  writer's 
soul  is  safe ;  that  he  and  all  his  singers  can  read  their  title  clear 
to  mansions  in  the  skies. 

Very  many  of  their  unpoetic  verses  draw  the  dead  line 
of  classification  most  rigidly  between  saints  and  sinners  in  a 
way  that  conveys  no  encouragement  for  sinners  to  cross  the 
line  other  than  the  fear  of  an  awful  avenging  Deity.  It  brings 
to  mind  a  certain  Pharisee  who  thanked  God  that  he  was  not  as 
other  men,  or  even  as  the  poor  publican,  and  we  know  which 
one  went  down  to  his  house  justified. 

As  in  many  of  these  ancient  songs  of  praise,  it  will  be 
observed  that,  in  the  few  that  I  now  quote,  sinners  are  excori- 
ated as  the  personal  foes  of  the  saints,  who  were  at  all  times 
complacent  in  their  assurance  that  these  unfortunates,  specially 
those  of  high  degree,  would  be  hurled  headlong  from  their 
high  places,  when  they,  the  saints,  would  rise,  take  their  seats, 
and  reign  over  them. 

While  the  following  three  versifications  of  the  49th  Psalm, 
by  Watts,  are  in  many  of  the  eighteenth  and  early  nineteenth 
century  hymn  books,  there  is  cogent  evidence  that  evolution's 
greatest  work  has  been  accomplished  during  the  past  half  cen- 
tury in  the  fact  that,  although  they  appear  with  a  hundred  more 
of  their  companions,  in  the  little  book  of  "Psalms  and  Hymns" 


42 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


that  I  carried  every  Sabbath  to  the  old  Tenth  Presbyterian 
Church,  at  Twelfth  and  Walnut  Streets,  from  1854  to  1858, 
the  hymn  book  then  in  general  use  by  authority  of  the  Presby- 
terian General  Assembly,  they  are  not  to  be  found  to-day  in  any 
later  publication. 

Part  i. 


Why  doth  the  man  of  riches  grow 

To  insolence  and  pride, 
To  see  his  wealth  and  honors  flow 

With  every  rising  tide? 


Why  doth  he  treat  the  poor  with 
scorn, 

Made  of  the  self-same  clay, 
And  boast  as  though  his  flesh  were 
born 

Of  better  dust  than  they?  * 


Omitting  seven  verses,  I  quote  the  tenth : 

Laid  in  the  grave  like  silly  sheep, 
Death  triumphs  o'er  them  there. 

Till  the  last  trumpet  breaks  their  sleep 
And  wakes  them  in  despair. 


Part  2. 


Ye  sons  of  pride  that  hate  the  just. 

And  trample  on  the  poor; 
When  death  has  brought  you  down  to 
dust 

Your  pomp  shall  rise  no  more. 


God  will  my  naked  soul  receive, 
When  separate  from  the  flesh, 

And  break  the  prison  of  the  grave 
To  raise  my  bones  afresh. 


The  last  great  day  shall  change  the 
scene ; 

When  will  that  hour  appear? 
When  shall  the  just  revive  and  reign 
O'er  all  that  scorned  them  here? 


Heaven  is  my  everlasting  home, 

Th'  inheritance  is  sure; 
Let  men  of  pride  their  rage  resume, 
But  I'll  repine  no  more. 


Part  3. 

THE  SINNER'S  DEATH  AND  SAINT'S  RESURRECTION. 


Why  do  the  proud  insult  the  poor, 
And  boast  the  large  estates  they 
have  ? 

How  vain  are  riches  to  secure 
Their   haughty   owners   from  the 
grave  ? 


They  can't  redeem  one  hour  from 
death, 

With  all  the  wealth  in  which  they 
trust ; 

Nor  give  a  dying  brother  breath 
When  God  commands  him  down  to 
dust. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


43 


There   the   dark   earth   and   dismal     His  honors  perish  in  the  dust, 


shade, 

Shall    clasp    their    naked  bodies 
round; 

That  flesh,  so  delicately  fed. 

Lies    cold    and    moulders    in  the 
Sfround. 


And  pomp  and  beauty,  birth  and 
blood ; 

That  glorious  day  exalts  the  just, 
To  full  dominion  o'er  the  proud. 


Like  thoughtless  sheep  the  sinner  dies;. 

Laid  in  the  grave  for  worms  to  eat ; 
The  Saints  shall  in  the  morning  rise 

And  find  the  oppressor  at  their  feet. 


My  Saviour  shall  my  life  restore, 
And  raise  me  from  my  dark  abode; 

My  flesh  and  soul  shall  part  no  more, 
But  dwell  forever  near  my  God. 


''The  Rich  Man"  is  the  topic  of  one  in  ''Hymns  and  Spir- 
itual Songs,"  Isaac  Watts,  1813,  containing  this  verse: 

See  the  red  flames  around  him  twine 

Who  did  in  gold  and  purple  shine: 
Nor  can  his  tongue  one  drop  obtain 

To  allay  the  scorching  of  his  pain. 


Another  shaft  hurled  against  wealthy  worldlings  is  this, 
entitled  "The  Rich  Sinner  Dying" : 


In  vain  the  wealthy  mortals  toil, 

And  heap  their  shining  dust  in  vain, 
Look   down   and   scorn   the  humble 
poor, 

And  boast  their  lofty  hills  of  gain. 

Their  golden  cordials  cannot  ease, 
Their    pained    hearts    or  aching 
heads. 

Nor    fright    nor   bribe  approaching 
death 

From  glittering  roofs  and  downy 
beds. 


Thence  they  are  huddled  to  the  grave. 
Where  kings  and  slaves  have  equal 
thrones ; 

Their  bones  without  distinction,  lie 
Amongst  the  heap  of  meaner  bones. 

There  guilty  ghosts  of  Adam's  race, 
Shriek  out  and  howl  beneath  Thy 
rod ; 

Once  they  could  scorn  a  Saviour's 
grace, 

But  they  incensed  a  dreadful  God. 


Tremble,  my  soul,  and  kiss  the  Son; 

Sinner,  obey  the  Saviour's  call; 
Else  your  damnation  hastens  on, 

And  hell  gapes  wide  to  wait  your  fall. 


44 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


John  Wesley's  collection  of  hymns  contains  this,  headed 
"Describing  Judgment."   Of  its  six  verses  I  quote  the  first  two : 

The  great  Archangel's  trump  shall  The  greedy  sea  shall  yield  her  dead, 
sound,  The  earth  no  more  her  slain  con- 
While  twice  ten  thousand  thunders  ceal; 

roar.  Sinners  shall  lift  their  guilty  head. 

Tear  up  the  graves  and  cleave  the  And  shrink  to  see  a  yawning  hell, 
ground. 

And  make  the  greedy  sea  restore. 


The  following  three  verses  are  part  of  a  hymn  in  the  same 
book,  entitled  "Describing  Hell" : 

While  all  my  old  companions  dear, 

With  whom  I  once  did  live. 
Joyful  at  God's  right  hand  appear, 
A  blessing  to  receive. 


Terrible  thought,  shall  I  alone, 
Who  may  be  saved, — shall  I — 

Of  all  alas !  whom  I  have  known. 
Through  sin  forever  die? 


Shall  I — amidst  a  ghastly  band. 
Dragged  to  the  Judgment  seat- 
Far  on  the  left  with  horror  stand. 
My  fearful  doom  to  meet? 


Here  are  five  verses  of  one  entitled  "A  Funeral  Thought, 
by  Isaac  Watts  : 


Hark !    from   the   tombs    a  doleful 
sound 

Mine  ears  attend  the  cry; 
Ye  living  men  come  view  the  ground. 
Where  you  must  shortly  lie. 


There  endless  crowds  of  sinners  lie, 
And  darkness  makes  their  chains; 

Tortured  with  keen  despair  they  cry. 
Yet  wait  for  fiercer  pains. 


Princes,  this  clay  must  be  your  bed. 
In  spite  of  all  your  towers; 

The  tall,  the  wise,  the  rev'rend  head 
Must  lie  as  low  as  ours. 


Great  God,  is  this  our  certain  doom? 

And  are  we  still  secure? 
Still  walking  downward  to  our  tomb. 

And  yet  prepare  no  more? 


Grant  us  the  power  of  quick'ning  grace. 

To  fit  our  souls  to  fly; 
Then,  when  we  drop  this  dying  flesh, 

We'll  rise  above  the  sky. 


Christian  Hymnology. 
NEW  DURHAM. 


45 


Dr.  Isaac  Watts. 


# — *_ 


■.-X 


!ars  at-  tend  the  cry. 

H  ,  , 


Hark,  from  the  tombs    a    dole  -  ful  sound, Mine  ears  at- tend  the  cry 

-A 


 1  ^  1  1  


It 


Hark,  from  the  tombs  a    dole  -  ful  sound,  Mine  ears  at- tend  the  cry. 


Ye 


'8= 


Ye  living  men,  come  view  the  ground,Where  ye  must  shortly 


Ye  living  men, come  view  the  ground.  Where 


0^ 


1 


Ye  livingmen,come view theground,Whereyemustshortly lie, 


I 


living  men,  come  view  the  ground.  Where  ye  must  shortly  lie,. 


lie,   Ye  living  men,come  view  the  ground,  Where  ye  must  shortly  lie 

._, — 'n^-r-  \—r  ^ 

._)  H-a— 1^-^ — I  \—\-\  V— !  1  1 


y 


ye  must  shortly  lie,  Ye  living  men,come  view  the  ground.  Where  ye  must  shortly  lie. 


m 


Ye  living  men,  come  view  the  ground.  Where  ye  must  shortly  lie. 


tt=i£itz=l=z^-f:l 


tiizt 


From  "Sacred  Harmon  v." — 1798. 


46 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


In  Dr.  Timothy  Dwight's  'Tsalms  of  David,"  first  pub- 
lished in  1802,  these  verses,  based  upon  the  i8th  Psalm,  "Vic- 
tory over  temporal  enemies"  being  the  heading,  are  typical: 

When   God,   our   Leader,   shines   in     He  speaks,  and  at  his  fierce  rebuke, 


In  this  book,  its  title  page  bearing  this  inscription,  'Tsalms 
of  David,  imitated  in  the  language  of  the  New  Testament," 
these  two  verses  are  a  part  of  Dr.  Watts'  versification  of  the 
139th  Psalm: 

My  God,  what  inward  grief  I  feel,     Does  not  my  soul  detest  and  hate, 
When  impious  men  transgress  Thy     The  sons  of  malice  and  deceit? 

will !  Those   that   oppose   Thy   laws  and 

I  mourn  to  hear  their  lips  profane,  Thee, 
Take  Thy  tremendous  Name  in  vain.     I  count  them  enemies  to  me. 

I  find  it  a  hopeless  task  to  reconcile  the  sentiments  ex- 
pressed in  this  and  others  of  the  foregoing  selections  with  the 
life  and  doctrine  of  our  Saviour  and  the  preaching  of  His 
Apostles.  Personal  hatred  of  such  of  our  brothers  as  violate 
God's  laws  is  certainly  not  in  harmony  with  these  words  of 


''And  Jesus  said — 'Father,  forgive  them;  for  they  know 
not  what  they  do/  " — Luke  23 :  34. 

"Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neigh- 
bor and  hate  thy  enemy;  hut  I  say  nnto  you,  Love  your  ene- 
mies."   (Read  Matt.  5  :  43-48.) 

"Forgive  its  our  debts  as  we  forgive  our  debtors/' 

"In  the  world  ye  have  tribulation,  but  be  of  good  cheer,  I 
have  overcome  the  world." 


arms, 

What  mortal  heart  can  bear 
The  thunder  of  his  loud  alarms? 
The  light'ning  of  his  spear? 


Whole  armies  are  dismayed; 
His  voice,  his  frown,  his  angry  look 
Strikes  all  their  courage  dead. 


He  rides  upon  the  winged  wind, 

And  angels  in  array. 
In  millions,  wait  to  know  his  mind, 

And  swift  as  flames  obey. 


He  forms  our  generals  for  the  field, 
With  all  their  dreadful  skill ; 

Gives  them  his  awful  sword  to  wield. 
And  makes  their  hearts  of  steel. 


Jesus : 


Christian  Hymnology. 


47 


''Brethren,  even  if  a  man  be  overtaken  in  any  trespass,  ye 
that  are  spiritual,  restore  such  a  one  in  a  spirit  of  gentleness, 
lest  thou  also  he  tempted."    (Gal.  6:  i.) 

These  venerated  hymnists  should  not  have  forgotten,  nor 
should  we  forget  the  word  of  God,  as  given  in  these  Old  Testa- 
ment lines : 

''Fret  not  thyself  because  of  evil-doers,  neither  be  thou 
envious  of  the  wicked.''    (Prov.  24:  19.) 

"Fret  not  thyself  because  of  hiui  zvho  prosper eth  in  his 
way,  because  of  the  man  zvho  bringeth  zuicked  devices  to  pass. 
Cease  from  anger  and  forsake  wrath.  Fret  not  thyself,  it 
tendeth  only  to  evil  doing.''    (Psalm  37:  7,  8.) 

"Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man 
his  thoughts;  and  let  him  return  unto  Jehovah,  and  he  will 
have  mercy  upon  him;  and  to  our  God,  for  he  zvill  abundantly 
pardon.  For  my  thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts,  neither  are 
your  zvays  my  zvays,  saith  Jehovah."    (Isaiah  55 :  7,  8.) 

In  the  same  collection  is  the  following,  entitled  ''The  Death 
of  a  Sinner."  The  use  of  the  feminine  pronoun  in  this  and 
the  one  verse  following  is  noticeable : 

My  thoughts  on  awful  subjects  roll,     Lingering  about  these  mortal  shores, 
Damnation  and  the  dead;  She  makes  a  long  delay; 

What   horrors  seize  the  guilty  soul,     Till  like  a  flood,  with  rapid  force. 
Upon  a  dying  bed.  Death  sweeps  the  wretch  away. 

Then  swift  and  dreadful  she  descends 

Down  to  the  fiery  coast, 
Amongst  abominable  friends, 

Herself  a  frightened  ghost. 

This,  in  the  "Christian  Lyre,"  on  the  same  subject,  is  more 
hopeful  of  the  poor,  sinning  woman  and  more  cheering  to  us  all : 

Who  is  this  stranger  in  distress. 
That  travels  through  this  wilderness? 
Oppressed  with  sorrows  and  with  sins, 
On  her  beloved  Lord  she  leans. 


48 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


This  is  from  "Watts'  Psalms,  carefully  suited  to  Christian 
Worship."  It  is  also  in  "Hymns  and  Spiritual  Songs,  by  I. 
Watts,  D.D.,"  printed  in  Albany,  N.  Y.,  1813: 


Terrible  God,  that  reign'st  on  high, 
How  awful  is  Thy  thundering  hand ; 

Thy  fiery  bolts  how  fierce  they  fly, 
Nor  can  all  earth  or  hell  withstand. 


This,  Sodom  felt  and  feels  it  still, 
And  roars  beneath  the  eternal  load ; 

With  endless  burnings  who  can  dwell, 
Or  bear  the  fury  of  a  God. 


Ye  sons  of  pride  that  kindle  coals 
With  your  own  hands  to  warm  your 
souls, 

Walk  in  the  light  of  your  own  fire, 
Enjoy  the  sparks  that  ye  desire. 

And  ye  blest  saints,  that  love  Him 
too. 

With   reverence   bow   before  His 
name ; 

Thus  all  His  heavenly  servants  do, 
God  is  a  bright  and  burning  flame. 


But  vengeance  and  damnation  lies. 
On  rebels  who  refuse  the  Grace; 

Who  God's  eternal  Son  despise. 
The  hottest  hell  shall  be  their  place. 


Another  from  the  same  book  is  entitled  "Election  Excludes 
Boasting" : 


But  few  among  the  carnal  wise, 
But  few  of  noble  race, 

Obtain  the  favor  of  Thine  eyes 
Almighty  King  of  Grace. 


He  takes  the  men  of  meanest  name 
For  sons  and  heirs  of  God; 

And  thus  He  pours  abundant  shame 
On  honorable  blood. 


This  book  has  also  this,  headed  ''Hell,  or  the  Vengeance  of 
God.''   Tune,  Diike  Street  or  Windham: 


Far    in    the    deep    where  darkness 
dwells. 

The  land  of  horror  and  despair; 
Justice  has  built  a  dismal  hell. 

And  laid  her  stores  of  vengeance 
there. 


There  Satan,  the  first  sinner,  lies, 
And  roars  and  bites  his  iron  bands; 

In  vain  the  rebel  strives  to  rise, 

Crushed  with  the  weight  of  both 
thine  hands. 


Eternal  plagues  and  heavy  chains, 
Tormenting  racks  and  fiery  coals. 

And  darts  t'  inflict  immortal  pains, 
Dipped  in  the  blood  of  damned 
souls. 


The  angry  nations  fret  and  roar. 
That  they  can  slay  the  saints  no 
more; 

On  wings  of  vengeance  flies  our  God, 
To  pay  the  long  arrears  of  blood. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


49 


This,  in  C.  M.,  is  set  to  old  Windsor,  by  Kirbye: 


But  bloody  hands  and  hearts  unclean, 

And  all  the  lying  race, 
The  faithless  and  the  scoffing  crew, 

That  spurn  at  offered  Grace, 


They  shall  be  taken  from  my  sight, 
Bound  fast  in  iron  chains; 

And  headlong  plunged  into  the  lake, 
Where  fire  and  darkness  reigns. 


Not  all  their  anguish  and  their  blood 
For  their  old  guilt  atones; 

Nor  the  compassion  of  a  God, 
Shall  hearken  to  their  groans. 


Awake  and  mourn,  ye  heirs  of  hell, 

Let  stubborn  sinners  fear; 
You  must  be  driven  from  earth,  and 
dwell, 

A  lone  forever  there. 


See  how  the  pit  gapes  wide  for  you, 

And  flashes  in  your  face, 
And  thou,  my  soul,  look  downward  too, 

And  sing  recovering  grace. 


From  "Village  Hymns,  1825,"  on  fly-leaf  of  which  is  my 
mother's  name,  written  September  26,  1829,  I  copy  these  five  sad 
verses  by  Doddridge,  entitled 

THE  SINNER  WEIGHED  AND  FOUND  WANTING. 


Raise,  thoughtless  sinner,  raise  thine 
eye; 

Behold  God's  balance  lifted  high ! 
There  shall  his  justice  be  displayed. 
And    there    thy    hope    and    life  be 
weighed. 


Behold,  the  hand  of  God  appears 
To  trace  in  dreadful  characters; 
"Sinner,  thy  soul  is  wanting  found, 
And  wrath  shall  smite  thee  to  the 
ground." 


See  in  one  scale  his  perfect  law; 
Mark  with  what  force  its  precepts 
draw : 

Would'st  thou  the  awful  test  sustain? 
Thy  works  how  light !  thy  thoughts 
how  vain ! 


Let  sudden  fear  thy  nerves  unbrace; 
Let  horror  change  thy  guilty  face; 
Thro'  all  thy  thoughts  let  anguish 
roll. 

Till  deep  repentance  melt  thy  soul. 


One  only  hope  may  yet  prevail; — 
Christ  hath  a  weight  to  turn  the  scale; 
Still  doth  the  gospel  publish  peace. 
And  show  a  Saviour's  righteousness. 


50 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


And  the  following,  from  same  book,  entitled  "Christ,  the 
Believers'  Ark,"  by  Doddridge: 


The  deluge,  at  th'  Almighty's  call, 
In  what  impetuous  streams  it  fell ! 

Swallow'd  the  mountains  in  its  rage, 
And  swept  a  guilty  world  to  hell. 

In  vain  the  tallest  sons  of  pride. 

Fled  from  the  close  pursuing  w^ave; 
Nor  could  their  mightiest  tow'rs  de- 
fend, 

Nor  swiftness  'scape  nor  courage 
save. 


How  dire  the  wreck !  how  loud  the 
roar ! 

How  shrill  the  universal  cry 
Of  millions,  in  the  last  despair. 
Re-echoed  from  the  tow'ring  sky! 


Yet  Noah,  humble,  happy  saint! 

Surrounded  with  the  chosen  few, 
Sat  in  his  ark,  secure  from  fear, 

And  sang  the  grace  that  steer'd  him 
thro'. 

So  I  may,  since,  in  Jesus  safe, 

While  storms  of  veng'ance  round 
me  fall; 

Conscious  how  high  my  hopes  are 
fix'd. 

Beyond  what  shakes  this  earthly 
'  ball. 

Nor  wreck  nor  storm  above  is  seen; 

There  not  a  wave  of  trouble  rolls; 
But  the  bright   rainbow  round  the 
throne, 

Seals  endless  life  to  all  their  souls. 


And  this,  entitled  ''Summer,  or  the  Great  Harvest" : 


The    summer    harvest    spreads  the 
field, 

Mark — how  the  whitening  hills  are 
turned ! 

Behold  them  to  the  reapers  yield  ; — 
The  wheat  is  saved — the  tares  are 
burned. 

Thus  the  great  Judge,   with  glory 
crowned, 

Descends  to  reap  the  ripened  earth ! 
Angelic  guards  attend  him  down, 
The   same   who  sang  his  humble 
birth. 


In  sounds  of  glory  hear  him  speak, 
Go    search    around    the  flaming 
world ; 

Haste — call  my  saints  to  rise  and  take 
The  seats  from  which  their  foes 
were  hurl'd. 


Go,  burn  the  chaff  in  endless  fire. 
In  flames  unquenched  consume  each 
tare; 

Sinners  must  feel  my  holy  ire. 
And  sink  in  guilt  to  deep  despair. 


Thus  ends  the  harvest  of  the  earth ; — 

Angels  obey  the  awful  voice; 
They  save  the  wheat,  they  burn  the  chaff; 

And  heaven  approves  the  sov'reign  choice. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


51 


The  following  lesson  on  'The  Flood''  is  in  ''Village 
Hymns/'  also  in  "Dobell's  Hymns,"  1825 : 

When  God  from  his  throne  did  ven-  "'Thus  o'er  the  abyss,  in  safety  they 

g'ance  display,  rode, 

That  deliig'd  a  world,  and  swept  them  Nor  wonder  at  this,  their  pilot  was 

away ;  God ; 

He  caus'd  it  to  slumber,  nor  could  it  When  death  and  destruction  without 

begin  might  be  seen, 

Till  his  little  number  "the  Lord  had  This  was  their  protection,  "the  Lord 

shut  in."  shut  them  in." 

Shut  in  by  decree,  and  council  they  When  others  are  wreck'd,  e'en  then 

were;  he  will  spare 

Shut  in  by  the  oath  which  to  them  His  own,  the  elect;  their  sonship  is 

he  sware;  clear; 

From  hell's  condemnation,  and  wrath's  Tho'  sin  may  annoy  them,  his  charge 

horrid  din;  they  have  been, 

O  precious  salvation !  "the  Lord  shut  It  ne'er  shall  destroy  them,  "the  Lord 

them  in."  shut  them  in." 

The  few  that  remain'd,  not  wreck'd  When    judgment    takes    place,  and 

by  the  flood,  world's  in  a  flame, 

Prefigur'd   to   us   the   ransom'd   by  The  subjects  of  grace  shall  sup  with 

blood;  the  lamb; 

In  Jesus  elected,  not  delug'd  by  sin.  And  when  on  his  bosom,  they  take 

But  in  him  protected,  "the  Lord  shut  their  repose, 

them  in."  The   portals   of   glory   shall  finally 

close. 


I  reprint  the  following,  by  Rev.  Samuel  Davies,  1758.  It 
is  also  in  "Psalms  and  Hymns  Adapted  to  Public  Worship," 
approved  by  the  Presbyterian  General  Assembly,  1838: 


How  great,  how  terrible  that  God, 
Who  shakes  creation  with  His  nod ! 
He  frowns, — earth,  sea,  all  nature's 
frame, 

Sink  in  one  universal  flame. 


In  vain  for  mercy  now  they  cry; 
In  lakes  of  liquid  fire  they  lie ; 
There,  on  the  flaming  billows  tost. 
Forever, — O,  forever,  lost. 


Where  now,  O  where,  shall  sinners     But  saints,  undaunted  and  serene, 


seek, 

For  shelter  in  the  general  wreck? 


Your  eyes  shall  view  the  dreadful 
scene ; 


Shall    falling    rocks    be    o'er    them     Your  Saviour  lives,  the  worlds  ex- 


thrown  ? 


pire, 


See  rocks,  like  snow,  dissolving  down.     And  earth  and  skies  dissolve  in  fire. 


52 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


The  following,  on  ''Day  of  Judgment/'  by  Dr.  Stennett, 
is  from  "Dr.  Rippon's  Selections  *  *  for  the  Baptist  Denomi- 
nation/' 1834: 


He  comes!  He  comes!  to  judge  the 
world; 

Aloud  the  archangel  cries ! 
While  thunders  roll  from  pole  to  pole, 
And  lightnings  cleave  the  skies. 

Th'  affrighted  nations  hear  the  sound 
And  upward  lift  their  eyes; 

The  slumbering  tenants  of  the  ground 
In  living  armies  rise. 

Amid  the  shouts  of  numerous  friends 

Of  hosts  divinely  bright, 
The  Judge  in  solemn  pomp  descends, 

Arrayed  in  robes  of  light. 


His  head  and  hairs  are  white  as  snow, 

His  eyes  a  fiery  flame; 
A  radiant  crown  adorns  His  brow, 

And  Jesus  is  His  name. 


Now  He  ascends  the  Judgment  seat. 
And  at  His  dread  command. 

Myriads  of  creatures  round  His  feet. 
In  solemn  silence  stand. 

Princes  and  peasants  here  expect 
Their  last,  their  righteous  doom, 

The  men  who  dared  His  grace  reject. 
And  they  who  dared  presume. 


Depart,  ye  sons  of  vice  and  sin ! 

The  injured  Jesus  cries. 
While  the  long  kindling  wrath  within 

Flashes  from  both  His  eyes! 


The  following,  from  which  I  will  quote  a  few  stanzas  writ- 
ten by  Dr.  Watts,  was  inspired  by  the  ist  chapter  of  the  Book 
of  Nahum,  which  book,  we  remember,  is  exclusively  a  descrip- 
tive prediction  of  the  overthrow  and  destruction  of  Nineveh. 
Twenty-four  centuries  after  Nahum  wrote  it.  Dr.  Watts 
thought  it  applicable  to  the  people  of  the  Christian  world  in 
general  for  use  in  their  praise  and  prayer  services : 


Adore  and  tremble,  for  our  God, 

Is  a  consuming  fire; 
His  jealous  eyes,  His  wrath  inflame, 

And  raise  His  vengeance  higher. 


Through  the  wide  air  the  weighty 
rocks. 

Are  swift  as  hail-stones  hurled; 
Who  dares  to  meet  His  fiery  rage, 
That  shakes  the  solid  world? 


Almighty  vengeance,  how  it  burns ! 

How  bright  His  fury  glows ! 
Vast  magazines  of  plagues  and  storms 

Lie  treasured  for  His  foes. 


Yet,    mighty    God!    Thy  sovereign 
grace 

Sits  regent  on  the  throne. 
The  refuge  of  Thy  chosen  race. 
When  wrath  comes  rushing  down. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


53 


Thy  hand  shall  on  rebellious  kings 

A  fiery  tempest  pour; 
While  we  beneath  Thy  sheltering  wings, 

Thy  righteous  hand  adore. 


Another  by  Dr.  Watts  I  copy  from  "Village  Hymns  for 
Social  Worship."    It  is  entitled  "The  Scoffer" : 


All  ye  who  laugh  and  sport  with 
death, 

And  say  there  is  no  hell; 
The  gasp  of  your  expiring  breath 
Will  send  you  there  to  dwell. 

When  iron  slumbers  bind  your  flesh. 
With  strange  surprise  you'll  find, 

Immortal  vigor  spring  afresh, 
And  tortures  wake  your  mind! 


Then   you'll    confess,    the  frightful 
names 

Of  plagues  you  scorned  before. 
No  more  shall  look  like  idle  dreams, 
Like  foolish  tales  no  more. 

Then  shall  ye  curse  that  fatal  day. 
With  flames  upon  your  tongues, 

When  you  exchanged  your  souls  away 
For  vanity  and  songs. 


May  I  with  those  forever  dwell 
Who  here  were  my  delight, 

While  sinners  banished  down  to  hell 
No  more  offend  my  sight. 


The  following-  is  in  the  same  collection: 

The  trumpet  sounds;  hell  trembles!  heaven  rejoices 
Lift  up  your  heads  ye  saints,  with  cheerful  voices; 
Here,  saith  the  Lord,  ye  angels  spread  their  thrones, 
And  near  me  seat  my  favorites,  and  my  sons. 


This  is  a  verse  of  one  by  Wesley,  entitled  "A  Sinner  Out 
of  Hell."    After  each  of  its  five  verses  there  is  this  chorus : 

Tell  it  unto  sinners,  tell, 
I  am,  I  am  out  of  hell. 

Lord,  and  am  I  yet  alive, 

Not  in  torments,  not  in  hell ! 
Still  doth  the  good  Spirit  strive, 

With  the  chief  of  sinners  dwell ! 


54 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


The  following,  in  Joshua  Leavitt's  collection,  1830,  is 
anonymous : 

O,  must  we  bid  you  all  farewell, 
We  bound  to  heaven  and  you  to  hell? 
Still  God  may  hear  us  while  we  pray 
And  change  you  ere  that  burning  day. 
Come,  blooming  youth,  for  ruin  bound. 
Obey  the  gospel's  joyful  sound. 

Next  I  mention  one  from  ''The  Psalms  and  Hymns  of  Dr. 
Watts,"  arranged  by  Dr.  Rippon,  1827,  printed  for  use  in  the 
Baptist  Churches  of  America,  containing  13 10  hymns.  Its 
heading  is : 

THE  PROSPERITY  OF  SINNERS  CURSED. 


Lord,  what  a  thoughtless  wretch  was  I 
To  mourn  and  murmur  and  repine. 

To  see  the  wicked  placed  on  high. 
In  pride  and  robes  of  honor  shine? 


But  oh,  their  end,  their  dreadful  end, 
Thy  sanctuary  taught  me  so; 

On  slippery  rocks  I  see  them  stand, 
And  fiery  billows  roll  below. 


Now  let  them  boast  how  tall  they 
rise, 

I'll  never  envy  them  again; 
There  they  may  stand  with  haughty 
eyes. 

Till  they  plunge  deep  in  endless 
pain. 

Their   fancied  joys   how   fast  they 
flee. 

Like  dreams,  as  fleeting  and  as 
vain; 

Their  songs  of  softest  harmony, 
Are  but  a  prelude  to  their  pain. 


Now  I  esteem  their  mirth  and  wine. 
Too  dear  to  purchase  with  my  blood; 

Lord,  'tis  enough  that  Thou  art  mine, 
My  life,  my  portion,  and  my  God. 

For  tune,  see  page  55. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


55 


GREENWICH. 


,..._^.__t,___^.  -|__C_^  ^  c 


Lord,  what     a   thoughtless  wretch  was 
I  ! 
^  g-r'^'  ^ 





I, 

-(22- 


To 


_i2- 


iiiourn... 

I  ^ 

:c  — =zi 


 ^^__J_^  j  J-  J  J__-j-_J, 


I    I  I 

and  mur-inur  and  re 


pine; 


To     see     the  wick  -  ed  placed  on 


:ti: 


*  r 


high, 


In      pride    and  robes 
1 


of  hon 

1 


• — w- 


I 

or 


shine. 


-t5>  


 .  ^— r-l  1  1  i 


But    oh,  their  end,  their  dreadful    end  Thy  sanct 


I 

But  oh,  their  end,  their  dreadful      end  Thy 

s     I    J     J     J  i 


_1    J    J     I  I 


-J  , 


I  I  I  >  I       I       I       I        I       I       I       I  I         I  I 

sanct  -  u  -  a    -  ry     taught  me    so,  On    slipp'ry   rocks  I 


 '-"tSEEES 


ry  taught 


me  so. 


m 


On    slipp'ry  rocks  I 


56 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


GREENWICH.— Concluded, 


r — r 


see  them  stand  and     11  - 


-r 

'ry  bil 

'I  I  r 

A.  -•-  ^ 


[I 


lows  roll      be  -  low. 


I  I  I 


I 


Here  is  one  from  "The  Christian  Lyre,"  1830.  Of  its  nine 
verses  I  quote  four: 

Ah,  guilty  sinner,  ruin'd  by  transgres-     Stop,  thoughtless  sinner,  stop  awhile 


sion, 


and  ponder, 


What  shall  thy  doom  be,  when  arrayed     Ere  death  arrest  thee,  and  the  Judge 


m  terror. 


in  vengeance 


God  shall  command  thee,  covered  with     Hurl  from  His  presence  thine  af- 


pollution, 

Up  to  the  judgment. 


frighted  spirit, 

Swift  to  perdition. 


Wilt  thou  escape  from  His  omnis-     Where  the  worm  dies  not  and  the  fire 


cient  notice? 


eternal 


Fly  to  the  caverns,  court  annihila-     Fills  the  lost  soul  with  anguish  and 


tion  ? 


with  terror: 


Vain   thy  presumption,   justice   still     There  shall  the  sinner  spend  a  long 


shall  triumph 

In  thy  destruction. 


forever, 


Dying  unpardoned. 


The  following  verses,  also  in  the  "Christian  Lyre,"  are 
part  of  a  hymn  entitled  "Thought  on  Death."  They  are  typical 
of  the  many  admonitory  hymns  on  death  and  the  judgment  that 
were  much  in  favor  early  in  the  nineteenth  century.  Its  tune 
is  on  next  page : 


And  am  I  only  born  to  die? 
And  must  I  suddenly  comply 

With  nature's  stern  decree? 
What  after  death  for  me  remains? 
Celestial  joys  or  helHsh  pains 

To  all  eternity. 


Long  ere  the  sun  has  run  its  round, 
I  may  be  buried  under  ground. 

And  there  in  silence  rot; 
Alas !  one  hour  may  close  the  scene, 
And  ere  twelve  months  shall  inter- 
vene. 

My  name  be  quite  forgot. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


57 


Nothing  is  worth  a  thought  beneath, 
But  how  I  may  escape  the  death 

That  never,  never  dies ! 
How  make  my  own  election  sure. 
And  when  I  fail  on  earth,  secure 

A  mansion  in  the  skies. 


KENT.    C.  p.  M. 

Anon. 


(  And     am      I       on  -  ly        born  to       die?      And  must     I       sud  -  den  - 


 ^ 

ly      cora-ply  With 

^  •  » 

na-ture's  stern  de  - 

cree?  What 
1  i 

af  -  ter  death  for 

T     t-     ^  1 — ' 

i  3  m 

ns, 

^                  -    '                              1  — ' 

me      re- mains?      Ce  -    les  -  tial     joys     or           hell  -  isli  pai 

1 

-     -1          -1          H  -1 

'   d   :  ; 

-»  •  

-    "  1 

From  "The  Christian  Lyre." — 1834. 


58 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Another  in  this  collection,  set  to  tune  Warning  Voice,  is 

Hell  beneath  is  gaping  wide, 

And  waits  the  dread  command, 
Soon  to  stop  your  sport  and  pride 
And  sink  you  with  the  damned. 


Stop,  poor  sinner,  stop  and  think 
Before  you  farther  go; — 

Will  you  sport  upon  the  brink 
Of  everlasting  woe? 


Ghastly  death  will  quickly  come, 
And  drag  you  to  the  bar; 

Then  to  hear  your  awful  doom 
Will  fill  you  with  despair. 


WARNING  VOICE.    7,  6. 


stop,  poorsin-ner,      stop   and  think,    Be  -  fore    you  far  Iher  g< 


Stop,  poor  sin-ner,     stop   and  think,    Be  -  fore  you  far-ther  go; 


EEEF 


-^-la^ — ^  1 — l-i  \  *— 


Will  you  sport    up  -  on     the  brink      Of      ev   -  er  -  last  -  ing  woe' 


Will    you  sport    up  -  on     the    brink     of      ev   -  er  -  last  -  ing 


:ti=t: 


3=^^  m-^ — #_p 


Chorus: — Be  entreated  now  to  stop 

Unless  you  warning  take, 
Ere  you  are  aware  you'll  drop 
Into  the  burning  lake. 

—Anon. 

From  "  Christian  Lyre."— 1833. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


59 


The  following,  in  the  same  collection,  is  entitled  ''Judgment 
Hymn" : 

JUDGMENT  HYMN. 


Judg-  ment  day 

z-l-g-^=t:=t== 


is   com  -  ing;    on,    Judg-ment  day 


]s  com 


1^  »  


ing  on, 


I       J  Fine. 


Judg-ment  day     is    com  -  ing  on 


shall  all 


be  there. 


^  ,22- 


 c,  ^_^_p_^_ 


— I  


i 


—I 
'0 


Oh!    there  will  be  mourn  -  ing, 


l-t==t: 


— r — ^ 

Mourn-  ing.  mourn  -  ing,  mourn  -  ing, 

J-  •  jl  a 

^  c  .  


:[== 


— I — 


__i  1  , —  —  — , — 

m—0  F-^-^— <^-x-F-; 


-l-n^  


Oh!  there  will  be  mourn  -  inj 


At     the  judg-ment  seat 


of  Christ. 


ft  .- 


Judgment  day  is  coming  on, 
Judgment  day  is  coming  on, 
Judgment  day  is  coming  on. 
And  we  must  all  be  there. 


O  there  will  be  mourning,  mourning,  mourning,  mourning, 
O  there  will  be  mourning,  at  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ. 


6o 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Parents  and  children  there  will  part, 
Parents  and  children  there  will  part, 
Parents  and  children  there  will  part. 
Will  part  to  meet  no  more. 

O  there  will  be  mourning,  etc. 

Wives  and  husbands  there  will  part, 
Wives  and  husbands  there  will  part, 
Wives  and  husbands  there  will  part. 
Will  part  to  meet  no  more. 

O  there  will  be  mourning,  etc. 

Brothers  and  sisters  there  will  part. 
Brothers  and  sisters  there  will  part. 
Brothers  and  sisters  there  will  part. 
Will  part  to  meet  no  more. 

O  there  will  be  mourning,  etc. 

Friends  and  neighbors  there  will  part, 
Friends  and  neighbors  there  will  part. 
Friends  and  neighbors  there  wall  part, 
Will  part  to  meet  no  more. 

O  there  will  be  mourning,  etc. 

Pastors  and  people  there  will  part, 
Pastors  and  people  there  will  part, 
Pastors  and  people  there  will  part. 
Will  part  to  meet  no  more. 

O  there  will  be  mourning,  etc. 

Devils  and  sinners  there  will  meet. 
Devils  and  sinners  there  will  meet, 
Devils  and  sinners  there  will  meet. 
Will  meet  to  part  no  more. 

O  there  will  be  shouting,  etc. 

Saints  and  angels  there  will  meet, 
Saints  and  angels  there  will  meet. 
Saints  and  angels  there  will  meet. 
Will  meet  to  part  no  more. 

O  there  will  be  shouting,  etc. 

The  following,  entitled  "The  Christian's  Thoughts  of 
Death  and  Glory/'  appears  in  'The  Psalms  of  David  (New  Edi- 
tion, 1817),  by  Timothy  Dwight,  D.D."  It  is  also  in  the  sev- 


Christian  Hymnology. 


6i 


eral  editions  of  the  Presbyterian  "Psalms  and  Hymns/'  issued 
up  to  1843: 


My  soul,  come,  meditate  the  day, 

And  think  how  near  it  stands, 
When  thou  must  quit  this  house  of 
clay, 

And  fly  to  unknown  lands. 


O !  could  we  die  with  those  that  die, 
And  place  us  in  their  stead; 

Then  would  our  spirits  learn  to  fly. 
And  converse  with  the  dead. 


And  you,  my  eyes,  look  down  and 
view. 

The  hollow,  gaping  tomb; 
This  gloomy  prison  waits  for  you, 
Whene'er  the  summons  come. 


Then  should  we  see  the  saints  above, 

In  their  own  glorious  forms. 
And  wonder  why  our  souls  should 
love, 

To  dwell  with  mortal  worms. 


We  should  almost  forsake  our  clay, 
Before  the  summons  come; 

And  pray  and  wish  our  souls  away, 
To  their  eternal  home. 

Tune,  Meditation,  on  next  page. 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


MEDITATION.    C.  M. 


Dr.  Isaac  Watts. 


3E3: 


-L=Cr: 


My    soul  come  raed 


i  -  tate  the    day        And  think  liow  near   it  stands, 


My    soul  come  med 


i  -  tate  the  dav 


And  think  how  near  it  stands, 


I 


When  thou  must  quit  this  house 


of       clay    And  fly. 


to 


 — a  J 


When  thou  must  quit  this    house  of 

i  K-^--^  a— r#--  


clay    And  fly. 


p-jz=i:1z=i:ri:r>=!^z?=_r:s:r^zT3Z= 


-I  h- 


un-known  lands,  And 


flv. 


:=1= 


to  un 

:=3- 


known  lands. 


m 


un-known  lands,  And 
 .0  ^ 


fly- 


to    un  -  known  lands 


y 


From  "Sacred  Harmony."— 1798. 


Chapter  IV. 


THE  DAWN  OF  A  BRIGHTER  DAY. 

Let  us  break  the  awful  solemnity  of  the  moment  at  this 
point  by  recalling  the  cheering,  strengthening  words  of  the 
great  Apostle  to  the  Gentiles.  Remembering  that  he  was  afore- 
time the  cruel,  wicked  Saul  of  Tarsus,  high  and  mighty,  proud, 
vindictive,  a  persecutor  of  the  saints,  and  that,  suddenly,  the 
mercy  that  endureth  forever  transformed  him,  the  chief  of 
sinners,  into  the  chief  of  our  blessed  Lord's  Apostles,  may  we 
not  express  our  wonder  and  regret  that  in  these  so-called  songs 
of  praise  there  is  line  upon  line  evidence  of  an  undervaluation 
of  God's  mercy  and  loving  kindness  ?  If  the  law  of  the  Spirit 
of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  made  Paul  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and 
death,  is  it  for  the  Christian  to  judge  and  to  condemn  all  such 
sinners  as  was  he,  as  beyond  the  reach  of  hope  and  mercy? 
''Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than  conquerors  through 
Him  that  loved  us.  For  I  am  persuaded,  that  neither  death,  nor 
life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  pres- 
ent, nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other 
creature,  shall  he  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God, 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  our  Lord." 

''Behold  therefore  the  goodness  and  severity  of  God:  on 
them  which  fell,  severity;  hut  towards  thee,  goodness,  if  thou 
continue  in  His  goodness;  otherwise  thou  also  shalt  he  cut 
off." — (Romans  ii :  22). 

"And  so,  all  Israel  shall  he  saved;  as  it  is  written.  There 
shall  come  out  of  Zion  the  Deliverer,  and  shall  turn  away  tin- 
godliness  from  Jacoh." — (Verse  26.) 

"For  God  hath  concluded  them  all  in  unhelief,  that  He 
might  have  mercy  upon  all.  O  the  depth  of  the  riches  hoth  of 
the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God!  how  unsearchahle  are  His 
judgments,  and  His  ways  past  finding  out!" — (Verses  32,  33.) 

Naturally,  we  ask — whence  came  their  inspiration,  and 

(63) 


64 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


upon  what  foundation  were  these  songs  built?  Clearly,  in  so 
far  as  the  inspiration  was  divine,  it  was  from  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. Their  cry  was,  ''To  the  Law  and  to  the  Testimony" — 
(Isaiah  8:  20).  They  failed  to  comprehend  the  true  meaning 
of  the  new  dispensation;  they  had  not  grasped  the  glorious 
significance  of  the  declaration — ''The  law  was  given  by  Moses, 
hut  grace  and  truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ/'  who  dedicated  for 
us  "A  new  and  living  way/'  although  seventeen  centuries  had 
gone  since  Jesus  had  said,  "The  time  is  fulfilled,  and  the  King- 
dom of  God  is  at  hand'' ;  "A  new  commandment  I  give  unto  you, 
that  ye  love  one  another" ;  and  Paul  had  written,  "Old  things 
have  passed  away;  behold,  they  have  become  new" ;  and  John 
had  written  in  the  Revelation,  "He  that  sitteth  on  the  throne 
said,  'Behold,  I  make  all  things  new/  " 

"These  are  my  words  zvhich  I  spake  unto  you  when  I  zvas 
yet  zvith  you  that  all  things  must  needs  be  fulfilled,  zvhich  are 
written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  the  prophets  and  the  Psalms 
concerning  me" — (Luke  24:  44). 

"Being  therefore  justified  by  faith,  zve  have  peace  zvith  God 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  through  whom  also  zve  have 
had  our  access  by  faith  into  this  grace  wherein  we  stand,  and 
we  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.  ^  ^  *  Where  sin 
abounded,  grace  did  abound  more  exceedingly" — Romans, 
chapter  5). 

The  declaration  of  God  to  John,  the  son  of  Zacharias,  in  the 
wilderness,  appears  to  point  to  the  beginning  of  the  end  of  the 
exclusively  legal  divine  dispensation,  "As  it  is  written  in  the 
hook  of  the  words  of  Isaiah,  the  prophet: 

The  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness. 
Make  ye  ready  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
Make  his  paths  straight. 
Every  valley  shall  be  filled. 

And  every  mountain  and  hill  shall  he  brought  lozv. 

And  the  crooked  shall  he  made  straight. 

And  the  rough  ways  smooth; 

And  all  flesh  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God." 


Christian  Hymnology. 


65 


Our  Lord  of  Glory,  Himself  declared  that,  with  His  advent, 
the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord,  prophesied  by  Isaiah,  had  come. 
This  was  the  prophecy,  6ist  chapter: 

"Tiie  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me;  becaiise  the  Lord  Jiath 
anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings  unto  the  meek;  He  hath 
sent  me  to  hind  up  the  broken-hearted,  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the 
captives,  and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound; 
to  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord,  and  the  day  of  ven- 
geance of  our  God;  to  comfort  all  that  mourn;  to  appoint  unto 
them  tJiat  mourn  in  Zion,  to  give  them  beauty  for  ashes,  the 
oil  of  joy  for  mourning;  the  garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of 
heaviness/' 

It  is  signilicant  that  when  our  blessed  Saviour  quoted  this 
passage  from  Isaiah  He  ignored  the  words  ''The  day  of  ven- 
geance of  our  God."  I  quote  from  the  authorized  version — ■ 
Luke  4 :  1 7-20 : 

''And  there  was  delivered  unto  Him  the  book  of  the  prophet 
Esaias.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  book,  he  found  the  place 
zvhere  it  zvas  written,  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,  because 
He  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  poor;  Lie  hath 
sent  me  to  heal  the  broken-hearted,  to  preach  deliverance  to  the 
captives,  and  recovery  of  sight  to  the  blind,  to  set  at  liberty  them 
that  are  bruised,  to  preach  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord. 

"And  he  closed  the  book,  and  gave  it  again  to  the  minister, 
and  sat  down.  And  the  eyes  of  all  them  that  zvere  in  the  syna- 
gogue were  fastened  on  him.  And  he  began  to  say  unto  them, 
This  day  is  this  scripture  fulfilled  in  your  ears.'' 


O  golden  day,  so  long  desired, 
Born  of  a  darksome  night, 

The  waiting  earth  at  last  is  fired, 
By  Thy  resplendent  light; 

And  hark !  like  Memnon's  morning 
chord. 

Is  heard  from  sea  to  sea — 
This  song: — One  Master,  Christ  the 
Lord; 

And  brethren  all  are  we. 


The  noises  of  the  night  shall  cease. 
The  storms  no  longer  roar; 

The  factious  foes  of  God's  own  peace, 
Shall  vex  the  church  no  more. 

A  thousand  thousand  voices  sing. 
The  surging  harmony; — 

One  Master,  Christ;  one  Saviour- 
King; 

And  brethren  all  are  we. 


66 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Sing  on,  ye  chorus  of  the  morn. 

Your  grand  endeavor  strain; 
Till  Christian  hearts,  estranged  and 
torn, 

Blend  in  the  glad  refrain; 
And   all   the    Church,   with   all  its 
powers, 
In  loving  loyalty. 
Shall  sing;  One  Master,  Christ,  is 
ours. 

And  brethren  all  are  we. 


O  golden  day,  the  ages'  crown, 
Alight  with  heavenly  love. 

Rare  day  in  prophecy  renown, 
On  to  thy  zenith  move; 

When  all  the  world  with  one  accord, 
In  full  voiced  unity. 

Shall  sing;  One  Master,  Christ  our 
Lord, 

And  brethren  all  are  we. 


Charles  A.  Dickinson — Tune,  Ellacomhe.    St.  Gall's  Coll. 

Let  not  the  foregoing  be  considered  as  an  implication  that 
the  New  Testament  has  supplanted  the  Old.  Christ  came  not  to 
destroy  the  law  or  the  prophets,  but  to  fulfil.  Matthew  5:  17. 
He  himself  was  its  fulfilment.  We  praise  God,  both  for  the  Old 
and  the  New,  but  most  for  the  New,  before  which  ''the  whole 
world  was  lost  in  the  darkness  of  sin."  We  can  honor  Him  for- 
ever in  the  study  of  the  Psalms  and  prophesies,  but  it  is  only 
because  of  the  New  Testament  that  now  we  are  worshiping  and 
praising  Him  in  the  singing  of : 

"Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee" 

"Abide  with  me" 

"Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul" 

"It  came  upon  the  midnight  clear" 

"Brightest  and  best  of  the  sons  of  the  morning" 

"Christ  for  the  world  we  sing" 

"Peace,  perfect  peace,  in  this  dark  world  of  sin" 

"There  is  a  green  hill  far  away" 

"O  Paradise,  O  Paradise" 

"Rock  of  Ages,  cleft  for  me" 

"All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  name" 

"O  love  that  will  not  let  me  go" 

"O  Jesus,  Thou  art  standing" 

"Dear  Lord  and  Father  of  mankind" 

"Immortal  love  forever  full" 


Christian  Hymnology. 


67 


or  any  other  energizing  gospel  hymn,  thousands  of  which  will 
be  sung  by  millions  of  Christians,  imparting  consolation,  peace, 
and  cheer  centuries  to  come,  when  "this  poor,  lisping,  stammer- 
ing tongue  lies  silent  in  the  grave." 

Theodore  Roosevelt,  in  a  writing  on  'The  Bible  and  the 
Life  of  the  People,"  in  "The  Outlook,"  said: 

All  men  who  think  deeply,  even  among  non-Christians, 
have  come  to  agree  that  the  life  of  Christ,  as  set  forth  in  the 
four  Gospels,  represents  an  infinitely  higher  and  purer  morality 
than  is  preached  in  any  other  book  in  the  world.  Occasional 
critics,  taking  sections  of  the  Old  Testament,  are  able  to  point 
out  that  the  teachings  are  not  in  accordance  with  their  own  con- 
victions and  views  of  morality,  and  they  ignore  the  prime  truth 
that  these  deeds  recorded  in  the  Old  Testament  are  not  in  accord- 
ance with  our  theories  of  morality  because  of  the  very  fact  that 
these  theories  are  based  upon  the  New  Testament,  because  the  >  ^ 
New  Testament  represents  not  only  in  one  sense  the  fulfilment  of 
the  Old,  but  in  another  sense  the  substitution  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment for  the  Old  in  certain  vital  points  of  ethics.  *  *  *  The 
Old  Testament  did  not  carry  Israel  as  far  as  the  New  Testament 
has  carried  us;  but  it  advanced  Israel  far  beyond  the  point  any 
neighboring  nation  had  then  reached. 

I  disclaim  any  inference  that  the  citing  of  the  foregoing 
imprecatory  hymns  is  intended  as  an  adverse  criticism  of  their 
authors,  whose  very  names  are  held  in  reverence,  but  rather 
as  a  clearly-cut  contrast  between  their  times  and  ours ;  to  indi- 
cate by  true  historic  evidence  the  emergence  of  Christian  Hym- 
nody  from  the  gloom  of  the  tomb  and  the  region  of  eternal 
despair  to  the  sunlight  of  God's  infinite  love;  out  of  the  fathom- 
less depths  of  the  dead  sea  to  "the  sparkling  waters  of  the  river 
of  life,  bright  as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of  God 
and  of  the  Lamb,  where  the  tree  of  Life  is  blooming  for  the 
healing  of  the  nations." 

If  Watts  and  his  contemporaries  could  come  back  and  join 
in  the  sacred  song  services  of  our  brighter,  better  times  they 
would  be  dumbfounded  to  find  that  the  Church  of  God  has  not 
only  ceased  to  sing  the  imprecatory  Psalms,  such  as  58th,  59th, 
63d  and  109th,  but  that  it  seldom,  if  ever,  even  reads  them  in 
any  religious  service. 


68 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Dr.  Watts,  in  the  preface  to  one  of  his  books,  says :  "Where 
the  Psalmist  uses  sharp  invective  against  his  personal  enemies  I 
have  endeavored  to  turn  the  edge  of  them  against  our  spiritual 
adversaries,  Sin,  Satan  and  Temptation,"  but  his  Christian 
motive  and  good  endeavors  were,  in  a  measure,  frustrated. 

Dreadful  as  v^as  the  wickedness  of  the  idolatrous  people  of 
Judah  in  the  times  of  the  ancient  prophets,  and  well  deserved 
as  were  the  punishments  threatened  and  inflicted,  it  seems  unac- 
countable that  the  saints,  down  to  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth 
Christian  century,  as  proven  by  their  use  of  such  Psalms  in 
their  praise  services,  failed  to  grasp  this  truth — that  the  firm 
foundation  laid  for  our  faith  in  God's  excellent  Word  is  the 
love  of  God  (not  the  wrath  of  God)  of  which  foundation  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  chief  corner-stone. 

Besides  from  the  Psalms,  Dr.  Watts  sometimes  found  in 
the  New  Testament  passages  for  his  versification.  The  follow- 
ing is  headed,  "The  Sovereignty  of  Grace." — (Luke  lo:  21, 
22.) 

I  thank  Thy  sovereign  power  and  love 
That  crowns  my  doctrine  with  success, 
And  makes  the  babes  in  knowledge  learn 
The  heights,  and  breadths  and  lengths  of  grace. 

But  all  this  glory  lies  concealed 
From  men  of  prudence  and  of  wit; 
The  prince  of  darkness  blinds  their  eyes, 
And  their  own  pride  resists  the  light. 

Father,  'tis  thus  because  Thy  will 
Chose  and  ordained  it  should  be  so ; 
'Tis  Thy  delight  to  abase  the  proud, 
And  lay  the  haughty  scorner  low. 

Miss  Anne  Steele,  a  century  and  a  half  ago,  inspired  by 
the  conviction  that  crimes  and  fears  and  frowns  are  to  be  dis- 
pelled in  the  light  of  love  and  mercy,  wrote  this  hymn : 


He  lives;  the  great  Redeemer  lives! 
What  joy  the  blest  assurance  gives! 
And  now,  before  His  Father,  God, 
Pleads  the  full  merit  of  His  blood. 


Repeated  crimes  awake  our  fears, 
And  justice,  armed  with  frowns  ap- 
pears ; 

But  in  the  Saviour's  lovely  face, 
Sweet  mercy  smiles  and  all  is  peace. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


69 


In  every  dark,  distressful  hour, 
When  sin  and  Satan  join  their  power, 
Let  this  dear  hope  repel  the  dart, 
That  Jesus  bears  us  on  His  heart. 


Great  Advocate,  almighty  Friend! 
On  Him  our  humble  hopes  depend; 
Our  cause  can  never,  never  fail, 
For  Jesus  pleads,  and  must  prevail. 


''All  Scripture  inspired  of  God  is  also  profitable  for  teach- 
ing, for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  which  is  in  right- 
eousness."—  (II  Timothy  3:  16.  R.  V.)  But  not  all  is  suitable 
for  making  melody  in  the  heart  unto  the  Lord;  for  examples, 
the  nth  of  Genesis,  2d  of  Ezra,  7th  and  loth  of  Nehemiah,  the 
poetic  Song  of  Solomon,  and  certain  Psalms. 

The  imprecatory  Psalms  are  a  lesson  for  the  world,  but 
whatever  the  lesson  our  God  would  have  us  learn  from  them, 
I  find  in  His  Word  no  evidence  that  they  should  be  employed 
in  the  song  service  of  His  Church  in  any  age  of  the  world.  On 
the  contrary,  from  the  Book  of  Exodus  to  the  Revelation  of  St. 
John,  there  are  exhortations  to  sing  praises  to  God  with  joyful 
lips;  to  shew  forth  His  mercy  and  His  loving  kindness,  which 
endureth  forever.  Eollowing  are  a  few  examples  of  a  hundred 
like  passages  in  the  Book  of  the  Psalms : 

''Sing  forth  the  glory  of  His  name;  make  His  praise 
glorious' ; 

"0  let  the  nations  he  glad  and  sing  for  joy' ; 
"Let  the  people  praise  Thee,  O  God,  let  all  the  people  praise 
Thee''; 

"My  lips  shall  greatly  rejoice  when  I  sing  praises  unto 
Thee"; 

"Sing  unto  the  Lord  a  new  song  and  His  praise  in  the 
assembly  of  the  saints." 

And  in  Isaiah: 

"Sing  O  heavens,  and  be  joyful  O  earth  and  break  forth 
into  singing  O  mountains ;  for  the  Lord  hath  comforted  His 
people,  and  will  have  compassion  upon  His  anointed." 

I  cannot  find  that  anywhere,  singing  unto  the  Lord  is 
enjoined  in  glorification  of  His  terrible  judgments  and  wrath- 
ful indignation. 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


The  23d,  65th,  103d,  133d  Psalms,  and  others  hke  them 
are  perfectly  adapted  for  any  part  of  divine  worship.  David, 
mere  man  as  he  was,  in  varying  moods  at  different  times,  must 
have  been  nearer  to  God  when  writing  these  than  when  inditing 
many  others,  such  as  were  referred  to  by  Dr.  Watts  in  the 
preface  to  one  of  his  hymn  books,  where,  as  I  have  before 
mentioned,  he  said  plainly  that  the  Psalmist  used  sharp  invec- 
tive against  his  personal  enemies.  Doubtless  Watts  was  enjoy- 
ing an  unusual  degree  of  inspiration  when  versifying  the  23d 
Psalm  in  three  meters.   One  verse  of  each  of  these  follow : 


We  do  not  doubt  that  Watts  and  the  other  grand  old 
saints  who  wrote  their  terrorizing  hymns  were  all  afire  with 
desire  to  glorify  God  and  to  save  guilty  souls  from  the  per- 
dition of  ungodly  men,  and,  remembering  that  theirs  were 
days  when  the  Christian  religion  was  in  its  twilight;  when 
the  tide  of  iniquity  was  at  its  flood;  when  godless  men  ruled 
with  a  rod  of  iron,  and  the  "people  of  God"  were  under  their 
feet,  perhaps  we  should  not  wonder  so  much. 

Nevertheless  one  would  think  that  it  should  have  sufficed 
to  proclaim  from  the  pulpit  in  sermons  rather  than  to  tune  in 
songs  their  direful  appeals  to  men's  fears  of  a  terrible  God, 
thundering  His  awful  decree  against  the  multitudinous  hosts 
of  sinners  and  opening  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  to  His  "chosen 
race,"  his  "friends  and  favorites"  as  designated  in  Watts' 


I. 


2. 


My  shepherd  is  the  Hving  Lord ; 
Now  shall  my  wants  be  well  sup- 
plied; 

His  providence  and  holy  word, 
Became  my  safety  and  my  guide. 


My  shepherd  will  supply  my  need, 

Jehovah  is  his  name; 
In  pastures  green  He  makes  me  feed 

Beside  the  living  stream. 


3. 

The  Lord  my  shepherd  is, 
I  shall  be  well  supplied; 

Since  he  is  mine  and  I  am  his, 
What  can  I  want  beside? 


Christian  Hymnology. 


71 


hymns.  I  fail  to  understand  how  any  congregation  could  sing 
these  songs,  so  void  of  comfort  for  sorrows,  of  encouragement 
or  stimulus  to  missionary  work,  hymns  without  the  electric 
spark  to  start  the  motive  power  of  the  love  that  endureth  all 
things,  the  love  that  never  faileth.  Where  in  them,  with  the 
precious  exceptions  named,  do  we  find  the  God  who  is  our 
refuge  and  strength,  a  very  present  help  in  trouble,  our  Good 
Shepherd,  ready  to  lead  us  sinners  in  paths  of  righteousness, 
by  quiet  waters,  where  verdant  pastures  grow,  where  the  table 
is  prepared,  the  cup  of  blessing  overflows,  and  His  rod  and 
staft'  are  comforting?  What  living,  growing  branch  of  the 
Church  of  Christ  is  singing  them  now  ?  Ask  them  to  sing  them 
and  they  would  hang  their  harps  upon  the  willows  and  weep. 
Unhappily,  wt  must  confess  that  the  world  is  still  very  wicked. 
Sin  abounds,  but,  under  divine  enlightenment,  Christendom 
is  coming  into  possession  and  enjoyment  of  a  better  and  con- 
stantly growing  better  understanding  of  the  fatherhood  of 
God  and  the  brotherhood  of  man  as  revealed  in  Jesus  Christ. 
This  is  in  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy,  (Daniel  12:4)  that  at 
the  end  of  the  days  "knozvledge  shall  be  increased." 
God's  truth  is  marching  on. 

Yet  we  know  that  there  has  never  been  an  era  when 
God  was  not  revealing  Himself,  enlightening  human  souls  in 
knowledge  of  Himself.  So  it  is  we  gratefully  record  the  truth 
that  these  eighteenth  and  nineteenth  century  hymners,  under 
occasional  gleams  of  heavenly  light,  wrote  some  truly  divine, 
heart-uplifting  lyrics  that  can  never  be  lost.  Many  of  these  are 
to  follow  in  this  review,  bringing  their  authors  into  blessed 
fellowship  with  a  greater  number  of  gifted  souls  of  a  later 
period,  men  and  women  who,  by  inspiration,  have  taken  the 
life  worldly,  wavering  and  sorrowing,  leading  it  into  the  life 
that  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God,  a  practical,  evangelical  service 
for  the  conversion  of  the  world  to  Christ  by  the  law  of  attrac- 
tion,— the  Law  of  Love,  which  is  the  law  of  God,  for  "God 
is  Lovef  (I  John  4:8.)  ''Love  never  faileth,  hut  whether 
there  he  prophecies,  they  shall  he  done  away/'  (I  Cor.  13:8). 


72 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Let  this  great  truth  be  present,  night  and  day; 
But  most  be  present,  if  we  preach  or  pray. 
Look  round  our  world;  behold  the  chain  of  love 
Combining  all  below  and  all  above. 

Pope's  "Essay  on  Man: 


''If  we  love  one  another,  God  abideth  in  us,  and  His  love  is 
perfected  in  us;  hereby  vue  know  that  we  abide  in  Him  and  He 
in  us,  because  He  hath  given  us  of  His  spirit/'  (John  4 :  12,  13.) 

I  read  in  the  Hght  of  it  all,  that  we  have  come  to  under- 
stand that  salvation  means  to  the  world  something  more  than 
a  narrow  escape  from  hell-fire;  that  it  means  the  infusion  of 
the  Christ-life  in  human  hearts  in  the  present  world ;  an  engraft- 
ing into  Christ;  a  sonship  with  the  one  Eternal  God;  the  blos- 
soming anew  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil 
and  the  bringing  forth  from  it  the  fruits  of  the  spirit  here  and 
now  and  for  evermore. 


Christian,  the  morn  breaks  sweetly  o'er  thee. 
And  all  the  midnight  shadows  flee; 

Tinged  are  the  distant  skies  with  glory, 
A  beacon  light  hung  out  for  thee. 

Arise,  arise  the  light  breaks  o'er  thee, 
Thy  natne  is  graven  on  the  throne; 

Thy  home  is  in  the  world  of  glory 
Where  thy  Redeemer  reigns  alone. 

Courage !  cheer  up,  the  day  breaks  o'er  thee 
Bright  as  the  summer's  noontide  ray; 

The  star-gemmed  crowns  and  realms  of  glory 
Invite  thy  happy  soul  away. 

Away,  away,  leave  all  for  glory. 
Thy  name  is  graven  on  the  throne; 

Thy  home  is  in  that  world  of  glory 
Where  thy  Redeemer  reigns  alone. 


Chapter  V. 


THEOLOGIC  PROGRESSION. 

As  our  faith  looks  up  to  the  Lamb  of  Calvary  and  then 
back  over  the  centuries,  may  we  not  see  that  the  evolution  of  our 
Christian  Hymnology  is  typical  of  an  evolution  in  religion, 
under  clear  spiritual  influences?  In  consonance  v^ith  this 
thought,  I  quote  from  an  article  by  Rev.  Richard  S.  Holmes, 
D.D.,  in  a  recent  number  of  "The  Continent": 

Religion  is  a  century  plant;  yes,  an  aeon  plant.  Its  blossom 
in  Jesus  Christ  came  only  after  1,500  years  of  Hebrew  history. 
In  the  1,900  years  since,  the  growth  of  the  plant  has  been  slow, 
but  the  stalk  has  never  ceased  to  climb  upward  toward  a  coming 
hour  of  lovely  efflorescence.  We  have  not  come  yet,  not  quite,  to 
Beulah  Land,  but  we  can  with  clear  vision  see  that  Christian  life 
in  the  nations  of  the  world  is  on  the  long  incline  upward  toward 
the  realization  of  the  dream  of  the  ages.  We  are  on  the  upward 
trend. 

It  is  foreign  to  my  purpose  and  my  wish  to  treat  our 
subject  in  the  way  of  theologic  criticism.  The  relationship 
between  the  two  is  so  close  as  to  prove  it  indubitable  that  the 
evolution  of  our  hymnology  is  an  effect  of  an  involution  of 
revised  theologic  tenets,  and  a  more  scriptural  application  of 
gospel  truth  to  the  world's  greatest  need.  I  think  that  the 
clergy  of  all  denominations  will  almost  unanimously  confirm 
this  statement. 

Although  we  may  entertain  the  thought  that  it  is  in  line 
with  the  eternal  decrees  that  the  zvhole  theology  of  these  ancient 
hymners  and  of  Jonathan  Edwards  and  John  Calvin  is  not  to  be 
proclaimed  unchangeably  and  forever,  nevertheless  we  may 
be  thankful  for  their  foundation-work,  hold  their  memories 
in  reverence  and  heartily  sing  these  grand  nineteenth  century 
verses. 


(73) 


74 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


This,  by  Rev.  Frederick  W.  Faber: 

Faith  of  our  fathers,  living  still, 

In  spite  of  dungeon,  fire  and  sword, 

O  how  our  hearts  beat  high  with  joy 
Whene'er  we  hear  that  glorious  word, 

Faith  of  our  fathers,  holy  faith ! 
We  will  be  true  to  Thee  'till  death. 


And  this,  by  Bishop  W.  W.  How: 

For  all  the  saints  who  from  their  O  may  Thy  soldiers,  faithful,  true, 

labors  rest,  and  bold. 

Who  Thee  by  faith  before  the  world  Fight  as  the  saints  who  nobly  fought 

confess'd,  of  old; 

Thy  name,  O  Jesus,  be  forever  blest.  And    win,    with   them,   the  victors* 

Alleluia  !  Alleluia  !  crown  of  gold.   Alleluia  ! 

Thou  wast  their  rock,  their  fortress,  O  blest  communion,  fellowship,  di- 

and  their  might ;  vine  ! 

Thou,  Lord,  their  captain  in  the  well-  We   feebly   struggle,  they  in  glory 

fought  fight;  shine; 

Thou,  in  the  darkness  drear,  their  Yet  all  are  one  in  Thee,  for  all  are 

light  of  light.    Alleluia  !  Thine.   Alleluia ! 


I  note  here  that  all  the  publications  by  authority  of  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United 
States  of  America  during  the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury were  named  "Psalms  and  Flymns,"  and  that  there  was 
at  no  time  a  change  in  versification  of  the  Psalms,  but  subse- 
quently to  their  1839- 1843  publication,  they  issued  six  editions, 
from  1850  to  1863,  containing  many  new  selections  and  elim- 
inating as  many  old-timers.  In  1866,  and  subsequently,  revised 
editions  were  published,  all  under  the  new  name  'The  Hymnal.'' 

A  most  cogent  evidence  of  a  revolutionary  movement  is 
in  the  fact  that,  of  the  882  psalms  and  hymns  in  their  book 
of  1839-1843,  only  124,  or  less  than  one  seventh,  are  in  their 
hymnal,  authorized  by  the  General  Assembly,  1895. 

Of  course  they  could  not  prudently  continue  the  printing 
of  such  of  Watts'  lyrics  as  these  of  which  I  quote  the  first  line : 


Christian  Hymnology. 


75 


"Amidst  Thy  wrath,  remember  love." 
"Are  all  the  foes  of  Zion  fools?" 
"As  new  born  babes  desire  the  breast." 
"Death  !  'tis  a  melancholy  day." 
"Dread  Sovereign,  let  my  evening  song."  ■ 
"Lord,  what  a  thoughtless  wretch  was  I." 
"O  what  a  stiff,  rebellious  house." 
"Why  do  the  proud  insult  the  poor?" 
"Why  do  the  wealthy  wicked  boast?" 
"W^hy  should  the  haughty  tyrant  boast?" 
"Ye  sons  of  pride,  that  hate  the  just." 
"And  are  we  wretches  yet  alive?" 
"Had  I  the  tongues  of  Greeks  and  Jews." 
"Hark !  from  the  tombs  a  doleful  sound." 
"How  awful  is  Thy  chastening  rod." 
"How  great,  how  terrible  that  God," 
"My  thoughts  on  awful  subjects  roll." 

Further  cheering  evidence  of  progressiveness  is  notable 
in  the  revised  "Hymnal"  just  issued  (1911)  by  the  Presby- 
terian Board  of  Publication,  from  which  over  a  hundred  hymns 
that  were  in  the  1895  collection  have  been  dropped,  while  as 
many  more,  not  in  that  edition,  have  been  added.  I  quote  the 
first  line  of  a  number  of  these,  indicative  of  the  betterment: 

"Beneath  the  cross  of  Jesus." 
"Breast  the  wave.  Christian." 
"Christian,  dost  thou  see  them?" 
"Courage,  brother,  do  not  stumble." 
"Day  is  dying  in  the  west." 
"Dear  Lord  and  Father  of  Mankind." 


"I  am  coming  to  the  Cross." 


76 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


hear  Thy  welcome  voice." 
'T  know  no  life  divided." 

"I  think  when  I  read  that  sweet  story  of  old." 
"Knocking!  Knocking!  who  is  there?" 
"O  happy  day  that  fixed  my  choice." 

what  their  joy  and  their  glory  must  be." 
"Purer  yet  and  purer." 
"Rescue  the  perishing." 
"Safe  in  the  arms  of  Jesus." 
"Shout  the  glad  tidings." 
"Summer  suns  are  glowing." 
"There  is  no  name  so  sweet  on  earth." 
"We  would  see  Jesus." 
"What  a  friend  we  have  in  Jesus." 

The  Board,  prior  to  the  issue  of  the  new  book  published  this 
statement.    It  is  significant. 

In  introducing  new  hymns,  an  earnest  effort  will  be  made  to 
meet  the  urgent  demand  for  the  recognition  of  God's  nearness  to 
everyday  living,  of  the  coming  of  the  Kingdom  in  the  sphere 
of  common  life,  of  the  spirit  of  brotherhood  and  manly  and 
resolute  Christian  life  and  service,  of  social  betterment,  and  of 
evangelistic  work  and  services. 


Chapter  VI. 


SOME  UNCLASSIBLE  HYMNS. 

We  will  now  look  at  some  old  psalms  and  hymns  of 
peculiar  structure  on  different  subjects,  mostly  crude  and 
unpoetic,  but  adduced  here  in  further  evidence  of  the  achieve- 
ment of  a  radical  reform  in  our  songs  of  devotion. 

Several  of  these  I  take  from  the  "Christian  Lyre;  a  Col- 
lection of  Hymns  and  Tunes  Adapted  for  Social  Worship, 
Prayer  Meetings,  and  Revivals  of  Religion,"  by  Joshua 
Leavitt — 1833. 

A  signal  instance  of  defect,  to  force  a  rhyme,  is  apparent 
in  a  hymn,  entitled,  ''Expostulation" — beginning: 

"Now  the  Saviour  stands  a  pleading  at  the  sinner's  bolted  heart." 

Its  seven  verses  are  followed  by  this  chorus: 

Sinners,  can  you  hate  this  Saviour? 

Will  you  thrust  Him  from  your  arms? 
Once  He  died  for  your  behavior, 

Now  He  calls  you  to  His  arms. 

Another  of  questionable  merit  both  as  to  sentiment  and 
poetry,  is  a  hymn  bearing  title — "The  Ransomed  Spirit." 

The  cherub  near  the  viewless  throne 

Hath  smote  the  harp  with  trembling  hand; 
And  one  with  incense-fire  hath  flown, 

To  touch  with  flame  the  angel-band; 
But  tuneless  is  the  quivering  string. 

No  melody  can  Gabriel  bring; 
Mute  are  its  arches,  when  above. 

The  harps  of  heaven  wake  not  to  love. 

Our  impression  has  ever  been  that  heaven's  harps  always 
wake  to  love, — infinite,  eternal,  unchangeable  love. 

For  the  comfort  of  pastors,  the  "Christian  Lyre"  contains 
the  hymn  entitled  "Pastoral  Cares,"  page  79 ;  tune  Carmarthen, 
page  78. 

(77) 


8 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


CARMARTHEN.    H.  M. 


f  Who     can       de- scribe     the   pain,  Which    faith  -  ful  preach  -  ers  feel, 
\  Con-strained   to  preach     in    vain,      to      hearts  as    hard      as  steel? 


ili; 


11 


 I  1  ^ 


m 


Or     who     can     tell      the  pleas  -  ures    felt,    When  stub-  born  hearts  be  - 


gin        to        melt?     When     stub -born     hearts  be    -    gin       to  melt? 

-1  \- 


1^ 


COLESHILL 


J  -\ 

^  1 

1 

I 

Z.  (Si — 

i  V 

1 

1 

Down  to     the  tomb  our  broth  -  er  goes,    In     its  cold  arms    to  rest, 

(iHSiifllilpi^ps^p 


-4^    J  ' 

1 

-J 

3^ 

As  'smit  by 

sud  -  den  storms  the 

 1 

1 

rose  Sinks 

1 

1      -\  ' 

on  the 

,    1  i 

gar  -  den's  b 

reast. 

p—  ^ 

:^  ^ 
izn — 1= 

r 

A  

H- 

1 

"  Chiistian  Lyre."— 1833. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


79 


PASTORAL  CARES. 


Who  can  describe  the  pain, 
Which  faithful  preachers  feel, 

Constrained  to  preach  in  vain, 
To  hearts  as  hard  as  steel? 

Or  who  can  tell  the  pleasures  felt, 

When  stubborn  hearts  begin  to  melt? 


If  some  small  hope  appear. 
They  still  are  not  content; 

But  with  a  jealous  fear, 
They  watch  for  the  event: 

Too   oft  they   find  their  hopes  de- 
ceived. 

Then   how   their   inmost   souls  are 
grieved. 


The  Saviour's  dying  love. 
The  soul's  amazing  worth. 

Their  warm  affections  move, 
And  draw  their  efforts  forth; 

They  pray  and  strive — their  rest  de- 
parts. 

Till   Christ   be    formed   in  sinners' 
hearts. 


But  when  their  pains  succeed, 
And  from  the  tender  blade. 

The  ripening  ears  proceed. 
Their  toils  are  overpaid: 

No  harvest  joys  can  equal  theirs, 

To  find  the  fruit  of  all  their  cares. 


In  the  Wesley  1779  Collection,  a  single  Bible  verse,  Genesis 
3:  16,  is  made  the  subject  of  eight  hymns.  The  text  is  will 
put  enmity  between  thee  (Satan)  and  the  zvoman,  and  between 
thy  seed  and  her  seed;  he  shall  bruise  thy  head  and  thou  shalt 
bruise  his  heel.'' 

I  quote  one  verse  from  each  of  four  of  the  eight  hymns: 

First, 

Awake,  the  woman's  conquering  seed, 
Awake,  and  bruise  the  serpent's  head; 
Tread  down  thy  foes,  with  power  control, 
The  beast  and  devil  in  thy  soul. 

Second, 

Fruit  of  a  virgin's  womb 
The  promised  blessings  come; 
Christ,  the  Father's  hope  of  old 
Christ,  the  woman's  conquering  seed, 
Christ,  the  Saviour  long  foretold 
Born  to  bruise  the  serpent's  head. 

Third, 

Arise  the  woman's  conquering  seed 

O,  avenge  us  of  our  foe. 

And  bruise  the  serpent's  head. 


8o 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Fourth, 

With  thy  spirit's  two-edged  sword 
The  crooked  serpent  slay, 
Bare  thine  arm  and  give  the  blow 
Root  out  and  kill  the  hellish  seed 
And  bruise  the  serpent's  head. 

\Mien  a  boy  I  heard  it  charged  against  our  grandfathers 
that  some  of  them  beHeved  that,  under  the  law  of  election 
and  foreordination,  countless  numbers  of  infants  were  con- 
signed to  the  abode  of  the  eternally  lost. 

This  verse  may  seem  to  partly  confirm  the  charge.  It 
is  in  ''AA^atts  and  Rippon  Collection''  of  1834. 

Adam,  the  sinner !  at  his  fall 
Death  like  a  conqueror  seized  us  all : 
A  thousand  new-born  babes  are  dead 
By  fatal  union  to  their  head. 

Another  hymn  a  century  old  appears  to  have  been  written 
expressly  to  antagonize  the  allegation.  Note  that  instead  of 
a  thousand  lost,  millions  are  saved.  It  is  entitled:  ''Children 
Dying  in  Infancy  Safe  in  the  Arms  of  Jesus.'' 

Death  may  the  bands  of  life  unloose, 

But  can't  dissolve  my  love; 
IMillions  of  infant  souls  compose 

The  family  above. 

I  have  heard  that  once  an  eighteenth  century  preacher 
asked  an  anxious  inquirer — "Are  you  willing  even  to  be  damned 
and  to  suiter  eternal  punishment  if  that  be  God's  will  concern- 
ing you?'' 

The  following  verse  from  one  of  these  old  hymn  books 
seems  to  confirm  the  charge  that  such  a  sentiment  was  enter- 
tained at  that  period: 

Still  will  I  strive  and  labor  still, 
With  humble  zeal  to  do  Thy  will, 

And  trust  in  Thy  defense; 
My  soul  into  Thy  hands  I  give; 
And,  if  he  can  obtain  Thy  leave, 

Let  Satan  pluck  me  thence. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


8i 


The  next  hymn,  copied  from  John  Dobell's  book,  1806,  is 
headed  ''Breaker — Micah  2:  13." 


Sing  the  dear  Saviour's  glorious  fame, 
Who  bears  the  Breaker's  wond'rous 
name ; 

Sweet  name !  and  it  becomes  him  well, 
Who  breaks  down  sin,  guilt,  death 
and  hell. 

A  mightly  Breaker  sure  is  He; 
He  broke  my  chains  and  set  me  free ; 
A  gracious  Breaker  to  my  soul; 
He  breaks,   and   O,   He  makes  me 
whole ! 


He  breaks  thro'  ev'ry  gloomy  cloud, 
Which  can  my  soul  with  darkness 
shroud; 

He  breaks  the  bars  of  ev'ry  snare, 
Which  hellish  foes  for  me  prepare. 

He   breaks    the   gates    of  harden'd 
brass, 

To  bring  His  faithful  word  to  pass; 
And  tho'  with  pond'rous  iron  barr'd. 
The  Breaker's  love  they  can't  retard. 


Great  Breaker,  O,  Thy  love  impart, 
Daily  to  break  my  stony  heart; 
O,  break  it.  Lord,  and  enter  in 
And  break,  O,  break  the  pow'r  of  sin. 


The  following  are  two  of  four  verses,  for  "Society  Meet- 
ings," to  tune  Corner-Stoiie,  in  John  Wesley's  Collection: 


Two  are  better  far  than  one. 

For  counsel  or  for  fight; 
How  can  one  be  warm  alone. 

Or  serve  his  God  aright? 
Join  we  then  our  hearts  and  hands ; 

Each  in  love  provoke  his  friend; 
Run  the  way  of  His  commands, 

And  keep  it  to  the  end. 


Who  of  twain  hath  made  us  one, 

Maintains  our  unity; 
Jesus  is  the  Corner-Stone, 

In  Whom  we  all  agree ; 
Servants  of  one  common  Lord, 

Sweetly  of  one  heart  and  mind; 
Who  can  break  a  threefold  cord, 

Or  part  whom  God  hath  joined? 


From  the  "Christian  Lyre"  I  cop}^  two  of  six  verses, 
entitled  "Wedding  Hymn" : 


Why  hast  thou  cast  our  lot 
In  the  same  age  and  place? 

And  why  together  brought 
To  see  each  other's  face? 

To  join  with  softest  sympathy, 

And  mix  our  friendly  souls  in  Thee. 


O  let  us  ever  bear. 

The  blessed  end  in  view, 

And  join  with  mutual  care, 
To  fight  our  passage  through. 

And  kindly  help  each  other  on, 

Till  all  receive  the  starry  crown. 


82 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


From  another  wedding  hymn  I  quote  two  verses 


As  Isaac  and  Rebekah  give 
A  pattern  chaste  and  kind; 

So  may  this  married  couple  live, 
And  die  in  friendship  joined. 


True  helpers  may  they  prove  indeed. 
In  prayer  and  faith  and  hope; 

And  see  with  joy  a  godly  seed, 
To  build  their  household  up. 


I  quote  one  more,  interesting  to  prospective  brides  and 
grooms,  set  to  tune  Spanish  Melody,  in  ''Sacred  Harmony," 

1798. 


See  in  yonder  house  of  prayer. 

Bridal  lamps  are  burning; 
View  the  joyous  party  there, 

Thro'  the  gateway  turning; 
See  the  happy  bride  appear, 

Yet  her  footsteps  falter; 
Wherefore  should  she  shed  a  tear 

At  the  holy  altar? 


'Tis  not  that  she  wishes  now 

From  her  love  to  sever; 
'Tis  that  should  he  break  his  vow. 

She  is  lost  forever: 
Careless  are  thy  fears,  fair  bride. 

Vain  the  doubts  that  grieve  thee, 
View  him  kneeling  by  thy  side, 

Think  not  he'll  deceive  thee. 


Binding  be  his  bridal  oath, 

And  his  love  encreasing, 
And  may  heaven  bestow  on  both. 

Pleasures  never  ceasing. 
May  that  hand  protect  thee  still, 

Thine  now  fondly  pressing. 
And  in  every  earthly  ill, 

Be  thy  guard  and  blessing. 


The  following  conversation  with  a  female  pilgrim  is 
from  the  "Christian  Lyre'': 

THE  FEMALE  PILGRIM. 


Whither  goest  thou,  pilgrim,  stranger, 
Wandering    through    this  gloomy 
vale? 

Knows't  thou  not  'tis  full  of  danger. 
And  will  not  thy  courage  fail? 
No,  I'm  bound  for  the  kingdom; 
Will  you  go  to  glory  with  me? 
Hallelujah!    Praise  ye  the  Lord. 


"Pilgrim,"  thou  dost  justly  call  me, 

Traveling  through  this  lonely  void; 
But  no  ill  shall  e'er  befall  me, 
While  I'm  blest  with  such  a  guide. 
Oh,  I'm  bound  for  the  kingdom, 
Will  you  go  to  glory  with  me? 
Hallelujah!    Praise  ye  the  Lord. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


83 


THE  FEMALE  PILGRIM. 


mm 


t-L:st:d 


i  f- 


— t: 


2  f  Whith  -  er  jroest  thoii,  pil  -  grim,  stran  -  ger,  Wand'ring  through  this 
'  t  Know'st  thou     not     'tis      lull      of     dan  -  ger,     And   will      not  thy 


._^  ^. 


tzi!: 


--A  ^- 

-H  —0- 


A— 


gloom  -  y 
coil  r    -  age 


vale^  1 

fail?)  "^'^^   bound      for     the  king- dom;  Will  you 


N  N- 


 \-  1 

:b!=«zz=:jt=jtz=^ 





i 


:t=t 


-I  -J^  ^—11 


go      to    glo  -  ry   with    me?   Hal  -  le  -   lu  -  jah !  Praise   ye     the  Lord. 


11 


-K—0- 


i 


'Christian  Lyre."— 1833. 


"Such  a  Guide!"  no  guide  attends 
thee, 

Hence  for  thee  my  fears  arise; 
If  some  guardian  power  defend  thee, 

'Tis  unseen  by  mortal  eyes: 
Oh,  I'm  bound  for  the  kingdom,  &c. 

Yes,  "unseen;"  but  still  believe  me, 
Such  a  guide  my  steps  attend; 

He'll  in  every  strait  relieve  me, 
He  will  guide  me  to  the  end. 

For  I'm  bound  for  the  kingdom,  &c. 


Pilgrim,  see  that  stream  before  thee, 

Darkly  rolling  through  the  vale; 
Should  its  boisterous  waves  roll  o'er 
thee. 

Would  not  then  thy  courage  fail? 
No !    I'm  bound  for  the  kingdom,  &c. 

No ;  that  stream  has  nothing  frightful, 
To  its  brink  my  steps  I'll  bend; 

Thence  to  plunge  'twill  be  delightful; 
There  my  pilgrimage  will  end. 

For  I'm  bound  for  the  kingdom,  &c. 


84 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


While  I  gazed,  with  speed  surprising, 

Down  the  vale  she  plunged  from  sight; 
Gazing  still,  I  saw  her  rising, 
Like  an  angel  clothed  in  light! 
Oh,  she's  gone  to  the  kingdom — 
Will  you  follow  her  to  glory? 
Hallelujah!    Praise  ye  the  Lord. 


In  the  'Tocket  Edition"  of  "Psalms  and  Hymns  of  Dr. 
Watts  arranged  by  Dr.  Rippon,"  1836,  containing  1314 
hymns,  and  letters  of  recommendation  by  twenty-five  Baptist 
ministers,  hymn  No.  1271  is  here  copied.  It  is  also  in  Rippon's 
smaller  book  published  1826. 

THE  WELCOME  MESSENGER. 


Lord,  when  we  see  a  saint  of  Thine, 
Lie  gasping  out  his  breath, 

With  longing  eyes,  and  looks  divine, 
Smiling  and  pleased  in  death. 

How  we  could  e'en  content  to  lay 
Our  limbs  upon  that  bed; 

We  ask  thine  envoy  to  convey. 
Our  spirits  in  his  stead. 

Our  souls  are  rising  on  the  wing 

To  venture  in  his  place; 
For,  when  grim  death  has  lost  his 
sting. 

He  has  an  angel's  face. 

Jesus,  then  purge  my  crimes  away, 

'Tis  guilt  creates  my  fears; 
'Tis  guilt  gives  death  his  fierce  ar- 
ray, 

And  all  the  arms  he  bears. 


0  !  if  my  threatening  sins  were  gone, 
And  death  had  lost  his  sting, 

1  could  invite  the  angel  on. 
And  chide  his  lazy  wing. 

Away,  these  interposing  days. 

And  let  the  lovers  meet; 
The  angel  has  a  cold  embrace, 

But  kind,  and  soft,  and  sweet. 

I'd  leap  at  once  my  seventy  years, 

I'd  rush  into  his  arms. 
And  lose  my  breath,  and  all  my  cares, 

Amid  those  heavenly  charms. 

Joyful,  I'd  lay  this  body  down. 
And  leave  this  lifeless  clay; 

Without  a  sigh,  without  a  groan, 
And  stretch  and  soar  away. 


Oh,  let  me  join  the  raptur'd  lays! 

And  with  the  blissful  throng 
Resound  salvation,  pow'r  and  praise. 

In  everlasting  song. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


85 


Anon. 


EBE3 


—  — I  


RUSSIA.    L.  M. 


False    are  the  men    of  high  de  -  gree,    The    has  -  er  sort  are  van 


:q=q: 


:qz: 


i3 


■0 

 1  ^  ^  

False     are  the  men   of  high  de  -  gree,    The    bas  -  er  sort  are  van  -  i  - 


f             ln  r 

1  «  •-n 

lit    Utz^  ^: 

<^  '   ^  - 

•8: 


# — ^ — ^ — # 

t=t=t: 


Laid    in     a    bal  -  auce 


qzipq— 


— 


Laid  in     a  bal-ance  both 


ap  - 


-I — I — h-«-»- 


ty. 


Laid   in    a    balance  both  ap  pear  Light  as    a     piiflf  of 


•2^— - 


ty.    I^aid  in    a  balance  both  ap-pear  Light  as    a  puff  of  emp     -     -  ty 


both     ap  -  pear  Light    as       a    puff  of 


emp 


ty      air.  air. 
D.S. 


—  

pear 

 1  ^- 


^— ^  #  L_^_JL 

Light    as       a    puff     of      emp  -  ty  air. 


HEIl 


air. 


D.S. 


emp  -  ty       air,  Light 


 ^_ 


=[:= 
air. 


i 


a     puff      of      emp   -   ty      aii.  air. 

D.S, 

-»  ^  9  ,  


:1: 


-7^ 


EI=EH 


Light    as       a     pufic"     of      emp  -  ty  air. 
From  William  Little's  Collection.— 1798. 


86 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Of  the  I  Gist  psalm,  Watts  makes  a  versification  entitled 
"The  Magistrates'  Psalm"  adapted  in  our  times  for  voicing 
the  pledges  of  a  pious  candidate  for  mayoralty  of  a  city,  or 
governorship  of  a  state.  In  Watts'  time  a  magistrate  was  a 
public  official  exercising  almost  sovereign  power.  Here  are 
some  of  its  verses: 


If  I  am  raised  to  bear  the  sword, 
I'll  take  my  counsels  from  Thy  word; 
Thy  justice  and  Thy  heavenly  grace 
Shall  be  the  pattern  of  my  ways. 

I'll  search  the  land,  and  raise  the  just 
To  posts  of  honor,  wealth  and  trust; 
The  men  that  work  Thy  holy  will 
Shall  be  my  friends  and  fav'rites  still. 


In  vain  shall  sinners  hope  to  rise 
By  flattery  or  malicious  lies; 
Nor  while  the  innocent  I  guard 
The  bold  offender  shan't  be  spared. 

The    impious    crew    (that  factious 
band) 

Shall  hide  their  heads  or  quit  the 
land ; 

And  all  that  break  the  public  rest. 
Where  I  have  power,  shall  be  sup- 
prest. 

The  following  I  copy  from  ''Hymns  and  Spiritual  Songs," 
by  Isaac  Watts,  D.D.,  1825.  It  is  also  in  'Tsalms  and  Hymns 
Approved  by  the  General  Assembly  of  The  Presbyterian  Church 
in  the  United  States  of  America."  1838.  This  hymn  is 
entitled:  "The  58th  Psalm:  a  Psalm  of  David." 

WARNING  TO  MAGISTRATES. 


Judges,  who  rule  the  world  by  laws. 
Will  ye  despise  the  righteous  cause 
When  vile  oppression  wastes  the 
land, 

Dare  ye  condemn  the  righteous  poor, 
And  let  rich  sinners  'scape  secure. 
While  gold  and  greatness  bribe  your 
hand  ? 


A  poison'd  arrow  is  your  tongue, 
The  arrow  sharp,  the  poison  strong, 
And    death    attends    where'er  it 
wounds ; 

You   hear   no   counsels,    cries,  nor 
tears ; 

So  the  deaf  adder  stops  her  ears. 
Against   the  power   of  charming 
sounds. 


Have  ye  forgot,  or  never  knew. 
That  God  will  judge  the  judges  too? 
High  in  the  heavens  His  justice 
reigns, 

Yet  you  invade  the  rights  of  God, 
And  send  your  bold  decrees  abroad. 
To  bind  the  conscience  in  your 
chains. 


Break  out  their  teeth,  eternal  God; 
Those  teeth  of  lions,  dy'd  in  blood; 

And  crush  the  serpents  in  the  dust. 
As   empty   chaff,   when  whirlwinds 
rise, 

Before  the  sweeping  torrent  flies. 
So  let  their  hopes  and  names  be 
lost. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


87 


Th'  Almighty  thunders  from  the  sky; 
Their  grandeur  melts,  their  titles  die, 
As  hills  of  snow  dissolve  and  run ; 
Or  snails  that  perish  in  their  slime, 
Or  births  that  come  before  their 
time, 

Vain  births,  that  never  see  the  sun. 


Thus  shall  the  vengeance  of  the  Lord, 
Safety  and  joy  to  saints  afford; 

And  all  that  hear  shall  join  and  say, 
"Sure  there's  a  God  that  reigns  on 
high, 

A  God  that  hears  his  children  cry, 
And  will  their  sufferings  well  re- 
pay." 


The  following — 24  verses — is  from  "Dobell's  Hymns/' 
1825;  L.  M.,  tune  E^^skine: 


HEAVEN. 


In  heav'nly  choirs  a  question  rose, 
That  stirr'd  up  strife  will  never  close; 
What  rank  of  all  the  ransom'd  race. 
Owes    highest    praise    to  sov'reign 

pTace  ? 


third, — 'T  deepest 


'"Stay," — said  a 
share 

"In  owing  praise  beyond  compare ; 
'The  chief  of  sinners  you'll  allow, 
"Must  be  the  chief  of  singers  now.' 


Babes  thither  caught  from  womb  and     "Hold," — said  a  fourth, — "I  here  pro- 


breast, 

Claim'd  right  to  sing  above  the  rest; 
Because  they  found  the  happy  shore 
They  never  saw  nor  sought  before. 


test, 

"My  praises  must  outvie  the  best 
"For  I'm  of  all  the  human  race, 
"The  highest  miracle  of  grace." 


Those  that  arriv'd  at  riper  age. 
Before  they  left  the  dusky  stage. 
Thought  grace  deserv'd  yet  higher 
praise, 

That  wash'd  the  blots  of  num'rous 
davs. 


"Stop,"! — said  a  fifth,— "these  notes 
forbear, 

"Lo !  I'm  the  greatest  wonder  here; 
"For  I,  of  all  the  race  that  fell, 
"Deserved  the  lowest  place  in  hell." 


Anon  the  war  more  close  began, 
What  praising  harp  should  lead  the 
van ; 

And  which  of  grace's  heav'nly  peers, 
Was  deepest  run  in  her  arrears. 


A  soul,  that  higher  yet  aspir'd, 
With  equal  love  to  Jesus  fir'd, 
"  'Tis  mine  to  sing  the  highest  notes, 
"To   love,   that   wash'd   the  foulest 
blots." 


"  Tis  I," — said  one, —  "  'bove  all  my 
race, 

"Am  debtor  chief  to  glorious  grace"; 
"No,"— said  another— "Hark,  I  trow, 
"I'm  more  oblig'd  to  grace  than  you." 


"Ho  !" — cry'd   a    mate, — "  'tis  mine, 

I'll  prove, 
"Who  sinn'd  in  spite  of  life  and  love. 
"To  sound  his  praise  with  loudest 

bell, 

"That  sav'd  me  from  the  lowest  hell." 


88 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


"Come,  come," — said  one, — "I'll  hold 
thy  plea 

''That  highest  praise  is  due  by  me; 
"For  mine,  of  all  the  sav'd  by  grace, 
''Was  the  most  dreadful,  desperate 
case." 

Another  rising  at  his  side. 
As  fond  to  praise,  and  free  of  pride, 
Cry'd, — "pray  give  place,  for  I  defy 
"That  thou  should  owe  more  praise 
than  I." 

"T'll  yield  to  none  in  this  debate; 
"I'm  run  so  deep  in  grace's  debt; 
"That  sure  I  am,  I  boldly  can, 
"Compare  with  all  the  heav'nly  clan." 


Quick  o'er  their  head,  a  trump  awoke, 
"Your   songs   my   very   heart  have 
spoke ; 

"But  ev'ry  note  you  here  propale, 
"Belongs  to  me  beyond  you  all." 

The  list'ning  millions  round  about 
With  sweet  resentment  loudly  shout; 
"What  voice  is  this,  comparing  notes, 
"That  to  their  song  chief  place  allots? 

"We  can't  allow  of  such  a  sound, 
"That  you  alone  have  highest  ground 
"To  sing  the  royalties  of  grace ; 
"We  claim  the  same  adoring  place." 

What !  will  no  rival  singer  yield, 
He  has  a  match  upon  the  field? 
"Come  then,  and  let  us  all  agree, 
"To  praise  upon  the  highest  key." 


Then  jointly  all  the  harpers  round, 
In  mind  unite  with  solemn  sound; 
And  strokes  upon  the  highest  string, 
3>Iade  all  the  heav'nly  arches  ring. 


Ring  loud  with  hallelujahs  high. 
To  him  that  sent  his  Son  to  die. 
And  to  the  worthy  Lamb  of  God, 
That  lov'd  and  wash'd  them  in  his 
blood. 

Free-grace,    was    sov'reign  empress 
crown'd 

In  pomp,  with  joyous  shouts  around; 
Assisting  angels  clapp'd  their  wings, 
And    shouted    grace    on    all  their 
strings. 

The  emulation  round  the  throne 
I\Iade  prostrate  hosts,  (who  ev'ry  one 
The  humblest  place  their  right  avow) 
Strive  who  shall  give  the  lowest  bow. 

The  next  contention  without  vice 
Among  the  birds  of  paradise, 
]\Iade  ev'ry  glorious  warbling  throat. 
Strive  who  should  raise  the  highest 
note. 

Thus  in  sweet,  holy,  humble  strife. 
Along  their  endless,  joyful  life. 
Of  Jesus,  all  the  harpers  rove. 
And  sing  the  wonders  of  his  love. 

Their  discord  makes  them  all  unite 
In  raptures  most  divinely  sweet; 
So  great  the  song,  so  grave  the  bass, 
^Melodious  music  fills  the  place. 


From  "Hymns  and  Tunes  for  Prayer  Meetings  and 
Revivals  of  Religion,"  1833,  I  quote  one  verse  of  a  hymn  of  five 
verses,  with  its  tune,  Pilgrim's  Farewell: 


Christian  Hymnology. 


89 


PILGRIM'S  FAREWELL. 


farewell,  dear  friends,   I     must  ])e  <:one, 


 .  

Fare  -  well,        fare  -  well, 


:Epi=z:t 


-1-    »    »  •  • 

I    have  no  home  or     stay  with 

you;     I'll  take  my  staff  and 

trav-  el  on, 

Till    I        a   bet  -  ter  world  do  view, 


I'll 


march  to  Ca-nann'sland, 


—I — 
zzt: 


I'll  land  on  Canaan's  shore,  Where  pleasures  nev  -  er    end,  Where  troub-les 


-. —  — ^- 


=t=Eit=t=c=lz 


i 


.t=t=: 


(        come  no  more.    Fare- well,    fare  -  well,  fare  -  well,  my  lov-ing  friends,  farewell. 


"Christian  Lyre."— 1833. 


90 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Difficulties  in  the  Way  of  Duty  surmounted — ''Hinder  me 
not.'' — Gen.  24:  56.   Tune  Devizes  and  Otford. 

From  "A  Selection  of  Hymns  from  the  Best  Authors; 
Intended  to  be  an  Appendix  to  Dr.  Watts's  Psalms  and  Hymns, 
by  John  Rippon,  D.D/' 


When  Abr'ham's  servant  to  procure 

A  wife  for  Isaac,  went, 
He  met  Rebekah — told  his  wish, — 

Her  parents  gave  consent. 

Yet  for  ten  days  they  urg'd  the  man. 

His  journey  to  delay; 
"Hinder  me  not,"  he  quick  reply'd, 

''Since  God  hath  crown'd  my  way." 

'Twas  thus  I  cry'd  when  Christ  the 
Lord 

My  soul  to  him  did  wed; 
"Hinder  me  not,"  nor  friends  nor  foes, 
"Since  God  my  way  hath  sped." 


"Stay,"  Satan,  my  old  master  cries, 
"Or  force  shall  thee  detain"; 

"Hinder  me  not,  I  will  begone, 
"My  God  has  broke  my  chain." 

In  all  my  Lord's  appointed  ways, 

My  journey  I'll  pursue; 
Hinder  me  not,  ye  much-lov'd  saints, 

For  I  must  go  with  you. 

Through  floods  and  flames,  if  Jesus 
lead, 

I'll  follow  where  he  goes; 
Hinder  me  not,  shall  be  my  cry, 
Though  earth  and  hell  oppose. 


Brief  life  was  the  portion  of  all  such  hymns  as  these.  As 
early  as  1840  half  of  them  appear  to  have  fallen  by  the  way- 
side, and  to-day  only  the  age-worn  books  are  left  to  tell  the 
story  of  them.  Forever  abandoning  them  as  unworthy  a  part 
in  our  services  of  religious  worship,  we  surrender  nothing  of 
the  truth  of  God,  of  the  verities  of  human  life,  death,  and 
the  judgment;  we  sunder  none  of  the  cords  of  veneration  that 
bind  us  to  our  sound  Christian  lineage  and  doctrine. 

Every  w^ord  spoken  by  our  Lord  as  recorded  in  the  gospels 
stands  firm  as  of  old.  We  remember  how  severely  He  con- 
demned the  scribes,  Pharisees,  and  hypocrites  as  recorded 
in  the  23d  chapter  of  Matthew's  gospel:  ''Ye  offspring  of 
vipers,  how  shall  ye  escape  the  judgment  of  hell?"  (Greek 
Gehenna — R.  V. )  ;  and  we  can  never  doubt  that  in  all  time, 
all  such  characters,  until  they  become  repentant,  deserve  the 
pronouncement  of  just  such  a  "Woe  unto  Yon,"  and  that  their 


Christian  Hymnology. 


91 


punishment  is  as  sure  either  in  this  world  or  in  that 
which  is  to  come,  as  it  is  sure  that  our  Father  who  is  in  heaven 
''maketh  His  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  the  good,  and  sendeth 
rain  on  the  just  and  the  unjust.''  But,  this  twentieth  cen- 
tury, we  are  more  joyfully  praising  God  with  gospel  hymns 
according  to  Matthew  and  John,  Mark  and  Luke;  hymns,  the 
singing  of  which  has  constrained  many  a  prodigal  to  say,  '7 
will  arise  and  go  to  my  father.''  It  is  simply  a  practical 
question, — have  not  the  hymns  the  Church  is  now  singing 
more  power  to  turn  a  repentant  son  or  daughter  homeward, 
to  warn  and  hearten  sinners  and  to  comfort  saints, — hymns 
like  these  following? 


Just  as  I  am,  without  one  plea, 
But  that  Thy  blood  was  shed  for  me; 
And  that  Thou  bid'st  me  come  to 
Thee, 

O,  Lamb  of  God,  I  come,  I  come. 

Just  as  I  am,  and  waiting  not, 
To  rid  my  soul  of  one  dark  blot, 
To  Thee,  Whose  blood  can  cleanse 
each  spot, 
O,  Lamb  of  God,  I  come. 

Just  as  I  am,  though  tossed  about. 
With  many  a  conflict,  many  a  doubt, 
Fightings  and  fears  within,  without, 
O,  Lamb  of  God,  I  come. 


Just  as  I  am,  poor,  wretched,  blind, 
Sight,  riches,  healing  of  the  mind. 
Yea,  all  I  need  in  Thee  to  find 
O,  Lamb  of  God,  I  come. 

Just  as  I  am,  Thou  wilt  receive. 
Wilt-  welcome,  pardon,  cleanse,  re- 
lieve, 

Because  Thy  promise,  I  believe, 
O,  Lamb  of  God,  I  come. 

Just  as  I  am.  Thy  love  now  known 
Has  broken  every  barrier  down; 
Now  to  be  Thine,  yea.  Thine  alone, 
O,  Lamb  of  God,  I  come. 


Art  thou  weary,  art  thou  languid, 

Art  thou  sore  distrest? 
"Come  to  me,"  saith  One,  "and  com- 
ing, 

Be  at  rest." 


Is  there  diadem,  as  monarch, 
That  His  brow  adorns? 

"Yea,  a  crown,  in  very  surety, 
But  of  thorns." 


Hath  He  marks  to  lead  me  to  Him, 

If  He  be  my  guide? 
*Tn  his  feet  and  hands  are  wound- 
prints. 

And  His  side." 


If  I  find  Him,  if  I  follow, 
What  His  guerdon  here? 

"Many  a  sorrow,  many  a  labor, 
Many  a  tear." 


92 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


If  I  still  hold  closely  to  Him,  If  I  ask  Him  to  receive  me, 

What  hath  He  at  last?  Will  He  oay  me  nay? 

"Sorrow  vanquished,  labor  ended,  "Not  till  earth,  and  not  till  heaven 

Jordan  past."  Pass  away." 


Finding,  following,  keeping,  struggling, 

Is  He  sure  to  bless? 
Saints,  apostles,  prophets,  martyrs, 

Answer,  "Yes." 


Lead,  kindly  Light,  amid  th'  encir-  I  was  not  ever  thus,  nor  prayed  that 

cling  gloom.  Thou 

Lead  Thou  me  on!  Should'st  lead  me  on; 

The  night  is  dark,  and  I  am  far  from  I  loved  to  choose  and  see  my  path; 

home,  but  now 

Lead  Thou  me  on !  Lead  Thou  me  on ! 

Keep  Thou  my  feet !  I  do  not  ask  to  I  loved  the  garish  day ;  and,  spite  of 

see,  fears. 

The  distant  scene;  one  step  enough  Pride  ruled  my  will;  remember  not 

for  me.  past  years. 


So  long  Thy  power  hath  blest  me,  sure  it  still 

Will  lead  me  on. 
O'er  moor  and  fen,  o'er  crag  and  torrent,  till 

The  night  is  gone; 
And  with  the  morn  those  angel  faces  smile. 
Which  I  have  loved  long  since,  and  lost  awhile. 


Evolution  is  working. 

"You  cannot  read  the  news  of  my  defeat, 
"The  plot  is  changed  and  there  is  none  to  tell; 
"But  you  may  hear  the  watchman  now  repeat. 
"The  night  is  nearly  past,  and  all  is  well." 


Chapter  VII. 


THE  VALLEY  OF  THE  SHADOW.' 
CORYDON.  8s. 


Anon. 


A — I — ^- 


—        — c:=:t:=zt= 


I 


Ah!  love-ly    ap- pear-ance  of  death,  What  sight  np- on  earth  is   so  fair? 
— _  _  0  ^ 


:iz=t 


I — t — t- 


n 


I  r-J  1  1- 


(S— - 


■I  


Not     all  the  gay  pageants  that  breathe  Can  with   a  dead  bo  -  dy  com- pare, 


^     -J     ^  - 

 ^^-^^ 

 ^5---- 

L|  

With    sol-emn  de- light   I    sur-vey    The  corpse,  when  the  sjnr- it    is  fled. 


-!  1- 


In     love  with  tlie  beau  -  ti  -  ful  clay,   And  long-iiig  to   lie   in   its  stead. 


From  'Thristian  Lyre.' 

(93) 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


DEATH'S  ALARM.   G.  M. 


Anon. 


i 


1=F 


The     ris-ing  morn-iuj;  can't  en  -  sure,  That  we  shall  end  the  day, 


^=3 


 • 

t=r- 


The     ris-ing  morn-ing  can't  en -sure,  That  we  shall  end  the  day, 


-I  r- 


-H — 


Ezzzit: 


p-# — # — # — • — 

-  •       ^  • 

, — 1  j  

__i  1  0  0  _ 

:  t=     ti    t=  t 

It    t    t:  t 

For  c 

leath  stands  waiting 

1 — i  \-  1  ^— 

at     the  door,  Fordt 

iatli  stands  wait  -  ing 

:1     1     H  ^ 

-i-  u 

at  the 

^^^^ 

_z;_-_-__-_L«  •  m  

 ^  m  ^— 

-A  A 

-m  0 — 

— »  0  0  0 — 

-#      m  ...  0    .  • 

r*  ^ 

For  ( 

:  t    t    t  t 

leath  stands  waiting 

:^    P    t  t 

at     the  door,  Fordt 

?alh  stands  wait  -  ing    at  the 

1        1        ,        1  , 

J       ^       J  # 

» 

door    To  snatch. 


=r=:tt=t: 
our  lives  a 


way. 


id 


door  To 


*-F* —  * — j-F 


snatch . 


our  lives 


way 


-I  ^ 


pi 


door    To  snatcli 


our  live;s 


way 


V— r 


door    To      snatch   our  lives     a    -  way. 

From  "  Sacred  Harmony."— 1798. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


95 


SUTTON.    C.  M. 


Be  -  hold 


the  man    three  score. 


:t=z:Ei^iz:^pi=^-EE 


— ^- 


and 


ten 


up  - 


-1=2- 


on 
-#- 


dy  -  ing  bed. 

_i  


Has     run     his    race    and     got     no  grace, 


:^  1  ^      iT-F  1 


:it=t:=:'^: 


man  he  lives     in     sore     sur-prise  And  thus    he  doth     com-  plain  No 


±:=t: 


t- — 1 — 1^  1  

 ,  


 ,  ^— r-J  '  1  r-^'  1  1  ^— r  1-| 

-w  iJ.  »  p  ^  •  •  ^  ^  ■-■ 


grace  I've    got      and      I      can  -  not     re  -  call    my  time 


gain. 


n  « 


D 


From  "Sacred  Harmony."— 1798. 


96 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


MORTALITY.    C.  M. 


^— J— ^' — «' — J — 

r-j  ^— 1  ^ 

^  0  ,  

Stoop  down    my  t 

 .  —0 — 

loughts  that  used  to 

:=]:-    -f q  - 

l  ise,     Con  - 

:-q  — 

verse     a    while  witli 

fc-d-—— 

p    q            ^  H 

p-4  i  

Stoop  down    my  t 

louglits  that  used  to 

-  r  t 

rise,     Con  - 

verse     a    while  with 

r     r  r— 

 ^ — 

 «  m — 

death; 


Think 


 ^- 


-q  1- 

-H  ^- 




Think  how     a    gasp  -  ing 


113 


death; 


Think  how     a    gasp -ing    mor  -  tal   lies  and 


Think  how     a     gasp  -  ing    mor -tal    lies  and  pants- 


how     a    gasp -ing    mor -tal  lies    and  pants 


-I  1  1  

a  -  way  his  breath  and 


mor  -  tal  lies  and  pints 


a  -  way  his  breatli,  Think  how  

 --.-r-l  1  ^- 


pants 


a  -  way  his  breath  and  pants 


wav  his  breath, 


a  -  way  his  breath  and  pants. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


97 


MORTALITY.— Concluded. 


^iqziz=q:q=(:: 


:j!3=|::^==]: 


pants 


a  -  way    his  breath 


 gi- 


mm 


Think  how     a  gasp-iiig 


a     gasp-ing  nior  -  tal  lies. 


Vg,  ^  ,  ft_ 


Think  how     a    gasp  -  ing   mor  -  tal    lies   and  pants 


 ^ — — *  « — 


way  his  breath, 


 1  

Think  how     a    gasp-ing    mor -tal  lies  and 


^  I 




mor  -   tal     lies      and  pants 


way  his 


-| — 
breath. 


and    pants      a    -  way 


his 


breath. 


-* — I— 


way       his    breath     and  pants 


wav  his 


-(S*  '  

breath 


2^- 


pants 


breath. 


But  O  the  soul  that  never  dies; 

At  once  it  leaves  the  clay  I 
Ye  thoughts,  pursue  it  where  it  flies. 

And  track  its  wondrous  way. 

TTp  to  the  courts  where  angels  dwell, 

It  mounts  triumphing  there: 
Or  devils  pluuije  it  down  to  liMl, 

In  infinite  despair. 

— Rev.  Isaac  Watts,  D.  D. 

(Last  appearance,  "Psalms  and  hymns."— Presbyterian.  A.  D.  1S43.) 


Chapter  VIII. 


SOME  HYMNS  BY  INSPIRED  WOMEN. 

That  we  may  ward  off  a  spell  of  depression  of  spirits,  and 
that  I  may  not  be  suspected  of  inviting  such  an  attack,  I  will 
now  steal  awhile  away  to  the  company  of  a  group  of  con- 
secrated woman  hymnists,  to  whom  we  all  will  be  happy  to 
pay  homage.  Of  the  thousands  of  lyrics  that  have  ennobled 
and  enriched  the  music-service  of  the  Church,  a  goodly  propor- 
tion are  the  soul-inspirations  of  Godly  women.  Out  of  the  ten- 
derness of  the  woman-heart  have  flowed,  as  the  clear  waters 
of  Avon,  the  sweetest  melodies  of  the  songs  of  Zion. 

"Not  she  with  trait'rous  kiss  her  Saviour  stung; 
Not  she  denied  Him  with  unholy  tongue. 
She,  while  apostles  shrank,  could  danger  brave. 
Last  at  His  cross,  and  earliest  at  His  grave." 

All  hail  to  the  good  women  for  their  immeasurable  legacies 
to  the  Christian  world.  I  shall  quote  a  few  of  their  glad, 
uplifting  songs  of  praise,  and  so  shall  I  hope  that  all  through 
this  representation  will  be  heard  the  gospel  keynote  which 
always  unites  all  parts  and  all  hearts  in  perfect  harmony,  and 
I  am  sure  that  our  spirits  will  be  in  tune  as  we  make  melody 
in  our  hearts  with  their  hymns  of  devotion. 

Let  us  start  with  the  expression  of  our  gratitude  to  Miss 
Anne  Steele,  author  in  1760  of  the  blessed  hymn: 

Father,  whate'er  of  earthly  bliss.  Give  me  a  calm,  a  thankful  heart 

Thy  sovereign  will  denies,  From  every  murmur  free; 

Accepted  at  Thy  throne  of  grace,  The  blessings  of  Thy  grace  impart 

Let  this  petition  rise —  And  make  me  live  to  Thee. 

Let  the  sweet  hope  that  Thou  art  mine. 

My  life  and  death  attend. 
Thy  presence  through  my  journey  shine, 

And  crown  my  journey's  end. 


(98) 


Christian  Hymnology. 


99 


Lowell  Mason's  inspiration  provided  its  sweet  tune, 
Naomi.  In  his  book,  "English  Hymns/'  Dr.  Samuel  W.  Duf- 
field  said,  "To  sing  this  hymn  to  any  other  tune  than  Naomi 
would  seem  to  the  American  churches  almost  like  sacrilege." 
This  hymn  was  first  introduced  by  the  Church  of  England  in 
1776,  and  from  that  time  has  been  a  true  hymn-prayer  of  the 
Christian  in  every  English-speaking  land.  It  comes  to  me  first, 
for  of  all  the  hymns  in  use  in  our  churches  I  love  it  the  most  for 
the  strength  and  cheer  it  has  imparted  to  me  in  trouble.  Anne 
Steele  was  the  daughter  of  a  Baptist  minister  of  England. 

In  the  course  of  her  life  of  sixty-two  years,  mostly  years 
of  illness.  Miss  Steele  wrote  144  hymns,  which  under  the  name 
of  "Theodosia's  Poems"  were  pubHshed  in  1760  to  1769. 
Another  of  her  heart  winning  hymns  is : 

Dear  refuge  of  my  weary  soul 

On  Thee  when  sorrows  rise; 
On  Thee  when  waves  of  trouble  roll, 

My  fainting  hope  relies. 

Another  is : 

To  our  Redeemer's  glorious  name, 

Awake  the  sacred  song ! 
O  may  His  love,  immortal  flame, 

Tune  every  heart  and  tongue. 


A  fourth  is  a  decision  hymn  kept  alive  to  old  Rockingham. 

Now  I  resolve  with  all  my  heart. 

With  all  my  powers  to  serve  the  Lord; 
Nor  from  His  precepts  e'er  depart, 

Whose  service  is  a  rich  reward. 

Others  are : 

"Great  God,  to  Thee  my  evening  song." 
"The  Saviour !  O  what  endless  charms." 


"He  lives,  the  great  Redeemer  lives." 
"Thou  lovely  source  of  pure  delight." 


lOO 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


I  mention  only  one  more  of  hers,  which  also  is  one  of  the 
saved  in  many  books : 

Father  of  mercies,  in  Thy  word. 

What  endless  glory  shines; 
Forever  be  Thy  name  adored, 

For  these  celestial  lines. 

It  seems  best  when  sung  to  Rev.  John  B.  Dykes'  grand 
tune  Beatudo. 

Verily  Anne  Steele  was  ''A  ministering  spirit  sent  forth 
to  minister  for  them  who  should  be  heirs  of  salvation." 

Charlotte  Elliott,  whose  angel-voice  will  be  ever  sing- 
ing around  the  throne  of  light,  and  over  earth's  desert  plains, 
was  inspired  in  1836  to  write  the  precious  hymn: 

"Just  As  I  Am  Without  One  Plea." 

Every  line  of  its  six  verses  will  be  to  us  a  living  gospel 
'till  our  rolling  years  shall  cease  to  move.  The  late  good  Bishop 
Mcllvaine  of  Ohio  said  of  it,  ''That  hymn  contains  my  religion, 
my  theology  and  my  hope."  If  the  combined  Protestant  Chris- 
tian congregations  of  the  world  were  asked  to  name  a  few  of 
their  dearest  hymns  this  surely  would  be  one  of  them. 

Another  of  Charlotte  Elliott's  hymns  that  appeals  tenderly 
to  all  of  us,  when  sung  as  it  always  should  be  to  Flemming, 
composed  early  in  nineteenth  century,  is : 


O  Holy  Saviour,  Friend  unseen, 
Since  on  Thine  arm  Thou  bid'st  me 
lean. 

Help  me  throughout  life's  varying 
scene, 

By  faith  to  cling  to  Thee. 

Blest  with  communion  so  divine, 
Take  what  Thou  wilt,  shall  I  repine, 
When,  as  the  branches  to  the  vine, 
My  soul  may  cling  to  Thee? 


What    though    the    world  deceitful 
prove. 

And  earthly  friends  and  joys  remove, 
With  patient,  uncomplaining  love, 
Still  would  I  cling  to  Thee. 

Oft  when  I  seem  to  tread  alone, 
Some  barren  waste  with  thorns  o'er- 
grown, 

A  voice  of  love  in  gentle  tone 
Whispers,  "Still  cling  to  me." 


Christian  Hymnology. 


lOI 


Though   faith  and  hope   awhile  be 
tried, 

We  ask  not,  need  not  aught  beside. 
How  safe,  how  calm,  how  satisfied. 
The  souls  that  cling  to  Thee ! 


They  fear  not  life's  rough  storms  to 
brave. 

Since  Thou  art  near,  and  strong  to 
save, 

Nor   shudder  e'en   at   death's  dark 
wave. 

Because  they  cling  to  Thee. 


Another  is: 

My  God,  is  any  hour  so  sweet 

From  blush  of  morn  to  evening  star 

As  that  which  calls  me  to  Thy  feet. 
The  hour  of  prayer. 


Every  one  of  its  six  verses  blends  poetry  with  prayer. 

And  another,  beautifully  set  to  Arthur  Sullivan's  tune 
Hanford,  also  to  Troyte's  Chant,  is : 

My  God,  my  Father,  while  I  stray 

Far  from  my  home  in  life's  rough  way, 
O  teach  me  from  my  heart  to  say, 

"Thy  will  be  done." 

Each  of  its  seven  verses  ends  with  'Thy  will  be  done." 

Forever  and  everywhere  revered  will  be  Mrs.  Sarah  F. 
Adams  for: 

Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee, 

Nearer  to  Thee, 
E'en  though  it  be  a  cross. 

That  raiseth  me: 


written  1841.  And  for  its  own  tune,  Bethany,  composed 
1859,  Lowell  Mason  will  ever  be  gratefully  remembered.  In 
numerous  cases  when  Christian  congregations  have  been 
asked  to  name  ten  or  twelve  of  their  choicest  hymns  this  one, 
along  with  "J^st  as  I  am,"  "Lead,  Kindly  Light,"  "Jesus,  Lover 
of  My  Soul"  and  "Rock  of  Ages,"  has  been  accorded  first  or 
second  place  by  a  good  majority.  No  one  would  presume  to 
issue  a  hymn  book  without  it. 

Other  precious  legacies  of  deeply  religious  poetry  have 


I02 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


been  left  to  the  Church  by  Cecil  Frances  Alexander,  author 
of: 

Jesus  calls  us  o'er  the  tumult 

Of  our  life's  wild,  restless  sea; 
Day  by  day  His  sweet  voice  soundeth, 

Saying,  "Christian,  follow  Me;" 

written  1852,  which  should  always  be  sung  to  Woodbury's 
beautiful  appropriate  tune  Dorrnance.  To  Mrs.  Alexander  we 
are  deeply  indebted  also  for : 

There  is  a  green  hill  far  away, 

Without  a  city  wall, 
Where  the  dear  Lord  was  crucified 

Who  died  to  save  us  all. 

which  we  cannot  help  thinking  was  written  for  William  Horse- 
ley's  tune  written  a  few  years  earlier,  and  bearing  his  name. 
Mrs.  Alexander  was  the  author  also  of: 

Once  in  royal  David's  city. 

Stood  a  lowly  cattle  shed ; 
Where  a  mother  laid  her  baby. 

In  a  manger  for  his  bed. 
Mary  was  that  mother  mild, 
Jesus  Christ — her  little  child. — 

which  should  never  be  divorced  from  Henry  Gauntlett's  tune — 
Irhy. 

Mrs.  Anna  L.  Barbauld  gave  us: 

"Come,  said  Jesus'  sacred  voice." 

"How  blest  the  righteous  when  he  dies." 

"Praise  to  God,  immortal  praise." 

Mrs.  Phebe  H.  Brown,  wrote  this  cherished  hymn: 

I  love  to  steal  awhile  away 

From  every  cumbering  care. 
And  spend  the  hours  of  setting  day 

In  humble,  grateful  prayer. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


103 


Mrs.  Jemima  T.  Luke,  wife  of  a  Congregational  minis- 
ter, wrote  the  beautiful  hymn  for  children : 

I  think  when  I  read  that  sweet  story  of  old 
When  Jesus  was  here  among  men. 

Anna  Shipton  gave  us  : 

Call  them  in,  the  poor,  the  wretched 
Sin-stained  wanderers  from  the  fold. 


Anna  R.  Cousin,  wife  of  a  Scottish  clergyman,  1857, 
wrote  the  following  grand  hymn  of  four  double  verses.  Its 
perfect  tune,  Rutherford,  was  arranged  from  Urhan  by  E.  F. 
Rimbault. 


The  sands  of  time  are  sinking. 

The  dawn  of  heaven  breaks. 
The  summer  morn  I've  sighed  for, 

The  fair  sweet  morn  awakes ; 
Dark,  dark  hath  been  the  midnight. 

But  day-spring  is  at  hand, 
And  glory,  glory  dwelleth 

In  Emmanuel's  land. 


O  Christ,  He  is  the  Fountain, 

The  deep,  sweet  well  of  love ! 
The  streams  on  earth  I've  tasted 

More  deep  I'll  drink  above : 
There  to  an  ocean  fullness 

His  mercy  doth  expand. 
And  glory,  glory  dv/elleth 

In  Emmanuel's  land. 


The  King  there  in  His  beauty 

Without  a  veil  is  seen; 
It  were  a  well-spent  journey 

Though  seven  deaths  lay  between: 
The  Lamb  with  His  fair  army 

Doth  on  Mount  Zion  stand, 
And  glory,  glory  dwelleth 

In  Emmanuel's  land. 


The  bride  eyes  not  her  garment, 

But  her  dear  bridegroom's  face; 
I  will  not  gaze  at  glory, 

But  on  my  King  of  grace; 
Not  at  the  crown  He  giveth 

But  on  His  pierced  hand: 
The  Lamb  is  all  the  glory 

Of  Emmanuel's  land. 


From  an  article  by  "The  Wayfarer,''  in  The  Continent,  of 
December  7th,  191 1,  I  quote  the  following  four  stanzas  said  to 
be  a  part  of  the  above  beautiful  hymn  in  its  original  form.  The 
Anwoth  of  the  poem  was  the  little  town  in  Galloway,  Scotland, 
where  Samuel  Rutherford,  for  whom  the  hymn  has  been  named, 
ministered  to  a  little  church  from  A.  D.  1618  to  1627.  While 
these  verses  are  very  interesting  and  poetical,  it  will  be  seen 


I04 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


that  they  are  judiciously  cut  off  from  the  good  hymn  as  we 
prize  it. 


E'en  Anwoth  was  not  heaven, 

E'en  preaching  was  not  Christ 
And  in  my  sea-girt  prison 

My  Lord  and  I  held  tryst. 
And  aye  my  murkiest  storm-cloud 

Was  by  a  rainbow  spanned, 
Caught  from  the  glory  dwelling 

In  Immanuel's  land. 


The  little  birds  of  Anwoth, 

I  used  to  count  them  blest; 
Now  beside  happier  altars 

I  go  to  build  my  nest. 
O'er  these  there  broods  no  silence, 

No  graves  around  them  stand; 
For  glory  deathless  dwelleth 

In  Immanuel's  land. 


But  flowers  need  night's  cool  darkness. 

The  moonlight  and  the  dew; 
So  Christ  from  one  who  loved  it 

His  shining  oft  withdrew. 
And  then  for  cause  of  absence 

My  troubled  soul  I  scanned ; 
But  glory,  shadeless,  shineth 

In  Immanuel's  land. 


Fair  Anwoth  by  the  Solway, 

To  me  thou  still  art  dear ! 
E'en  from  the  verge  of  heaven 

I  drop  for  thee  a  tear. 
Oh,  if  one  soul  from  Anwoth 

Meet  me  at  God's  right  hand, 
My  heaven  will  be  two  heavens. 

In  Immanuel's  land. 


Kate  Douglass  Wiggin  wrote  this 
Hymn"  of  two  verses: 


^Child's  Morning: 


Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  night, 
And  for  the  pleasant  morning  Hght; 
For  rest  and  food  and  loving  care, 
And  all  that  makes  the  world  so  fair. 


Help  us  to  do  the  things  we  should, 
To  be  to  others  kind  and  good; 
In  all  we  do,  in  work  or  play, 
To  love  Thee  better  day  by  day. 


Mary  L.  Duncan  was  author  of  the  excellent  hymn  for 
children,  most  effective  when  sung  to  Dykes'  tune — Sylvester. 

Jesus,  tender  Shepherd,  hear  me; 
Bless  Thy  little  lamb  to-night. 

Mary  Mapes  Dodge  wrote  several  beautiful  hymns  for 
the  children, — one  of  them  being: 

Can  a  little  child  like  me 
Thank  the  Father  fittingly  ? 
Yes,  O  yes,  be  good  and  true. 
Patient,  kind  in  all  you  do,  etc. 


Miss  Phebe  Gary,  looking  heavenward,  tells  us  com- 
fortingly : 


C 11 R 1  ST  1 A  N   11  \'  M  N  0  LC) ( .  \ . 


One  sweetly  solemn  thought, 

Comes  to  me  o'er  and  o'er  ; 
I'm  nearer  my  home  to-day, 

Than  ever  I've  been  before. 

Miss  Elizabeth  C.  Clephane's  soul  was  very  near  the 
cross  when  she  wrote  about  forty  years  ago: 


Beneath  the  cross  of  Jesus 
I  fain  would  take  my  stand; 

The  shadow  of  a  mighty  rock 
Within  a  weary  land, 

A  home  within  the  wilderness, 
A  rest  upon  the  way, 

From  the  burning  of  the  noon-tide 
heat 

And  the  burden  of  the  day. 


Upcn  that  cross  of  Jesus, 

Mine  eyes  at  times  can  see. 
The  very  dying  form  of  One, 

Who  suffered  there  for  me; 
And  from  my  smitten  heart  with  tears 

Two  wonders  I  confess, — 
The  wonders  of  His  glorious  love, 

And  my  own  worthlessness. 


I  take,  O  cross,  thy  shadow. 

For  my  abiding  place; 
I  ask  no  other  sunshine  than 

The  sunshine  of  His  face; 
Content  to  let  the  world  go  by. 

To  know  no  gain  nor  loss, 
My  sinful  self  my  only  shame, 

My  glory  all  the  cross. 

The  value  to  us  of  this  tender  hymn  is  enhanced  by, 
and  it  should  always  be  sung  to  Frederick  C.  Maker's  com- 
position— St.  Christopher.  Miss  Clephane  was  the  author  also 
of: 

There  were  ninety  and  nine  that  safely  lay 
In  the  shelter  of  the  fold, 

for  which  Ira  D.  Sankey  composed  and  sang  effectively  his 
well-fitting  tune  known  as  The  Ninety  and  Nine. 

Emily  Elizabeth  Elliott,  about  a  half  century  ago, 
wrote  the  good  hymn: 

"Thou  didst  leave  Thy  throne  and  Thy  kingly  crown," 

which  we  love  to  sing  to  tune,  Margaret,  by  Rev.  T.  R. 
Matthews. 


io6 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Helen  Maria  Williams'  hymn,  1786,  a  standard  in  our 
churches  for  more  than  a  century,  well  set  to  Pleyel's  Brattle 
Street  and  Dykes'  Beatiido,  must  be  included  here: 

While  Thee  I  seek,  protecting  power, 

Be  my  vain  wishes  stilled; 
And  may  this  consecrated  hour, 

With  better  hopes  be  filled. 

We  are  impelled  to  offer  a  prayer  of  thanksgiving  for  one 
of  Harriet  Auber's  h3mins,  written  in  1829: 


Our  blest  Redeemer,  ere  He  breathed 

His  tender,  last  farewell, 
A  Guide,  a  Comforter  bequeathed, 

With  us  to  dwell. 


He  came  sweet  influence  to  impart, 
A  gracious,  willing  Guest, 

While  He  can  find  one  humble  heart 
Wherein  to  rest. 


And  His  the  gentle  voice  we  hear, 
Soft  as  the  breath  of  even, 

That  checks  each  thought,  that  calms 
each  fear. 
And  speaks  of  Heaven. 

And  every  virtue  we  possess. 

And  every  victory  won. 
And  every  thought  of  holiness 

Are  His  alone. 


Spirit  of  purity  and  grace, 
■j^^    Our  weakness,  pitying,  see, 
O  make  our  hearts  Thy  dwelling  place 
And  worthier  Thee. 

This  hymn  always  brings  to  mind  our  Saviour's  parting 
words,  ''I  will  not  leave  yon  comfortless.  It  is  expedient  for 
yoTi  that  I  go  away,  for  if  I  go  not  away  the  Comforter  will  not 
come  unto  yon.   But  if  I  go  I  will  send  Him  unto  you.'' 

For  this  hymn  there  is  just  one  tune  worthy  of  thought — 
St.  Cuthhert,  by  Dr.  J.  B.  Dykes. 

What  is  God?  Our  Catechism  answers  splendidly — ''God 
is  a  Spirit,  infinite,  eternal  and  unchangeable  in  His  being, 
wisdom,  power,  holiness,  justice,  goodness  and  truth."  The 
Bible  answers  it  in  three  words,  ''God  is  Love."   I  John  4:  8. 

Dr.  Watts'  view  was  overcast  by  dark  clouds  when  he 
wrote  for  the  songs  of  Christian  assemblies: 


Christian  Hymnology. 


Adore  and  tremble,  for  our  God,  Almighty  vengeance,  how  it  burns ! 

Is  a  consuming  fire ;  How  bright  His  fury  glows ! 

His  jealous  eyes,  His  wrath  inflame  Vast  magazines  of  plagues  and  storms 

And  raise  His  vengeance  higher.  Lie  treasured  for  his  foes. 

Contrast  in  your  minds  these  views  of  our  dear  Lord  and 
Father  of  mankind,  with  the  loving  thoughts  just  breathed  in 
our  song: 

And  His  the  gentle  voice  we  hear. 

Soft  as  the  breath  of  even. 
That  checks  each  thought,  that  calms  each  fear, 

And  speaks  of  heaven. 


Yes !  yes !  we  can  thankfully  sing- 


There's  a  wideness  in  God's  mercy 
Like  the  wideness  of  the  sea; 

There's  a  kindness  in  His  justice 
That  is  more  than  liberty. 


For  the  love  of  God  is  broader, 
Than  the  measure  of  man's  mind; 

And  the  heart  of  the  Eternal, 
Is  most  wonderfully  kind. 

—Rev.  F.  W.  Faher,  1854. 


We  remember  the  prophet  Elijah,  how  he  heard  God's 
voice,  not  in  the  great,  strong  wind,  not  in  the  earthquake 
nor  the  fire,  but  in  the  still,  small  voice. 


Not  always  as  the  whirlwind's  rush 

On  Horeb's  mount  of  fear. 
Not  always  as  the  burning  bush 

To  Midian's  shepherd  seer, 
Nor  as  the  awful  voice  which  came 

To  Israel's  prophet  bards. 
Nor  as  the  tongues  of  cloven  flame. 

Nor  gift  of  fearful  words, — 


Not  always  thus,  with  outward  sign 

Of  fire  or  voice  from  Heaven, 
The  message  of  a  truth  divine, 

The  call  of  God  is  given ! 
Awaking  in  the  human  heart 

Love  for  the  true  and  right, — 
Zeal  for  the  Christian's  better  part, 

Strength  for  the  Christian's  fight. 


Though  heralded  with  naught  of  fear. 

Of  outward  sign  or  show; 
Though  only  to  the  inward  ear 

It  whispers  soft  and  low ! 
Though  dropping,  as  the  manna  fell. 

Unseen,  yet  from  above. 
Noiseless  as  dewfall,  heed  it  well, — 

Thy  Father's  call  of  love ! 

— Whittier. 


io8 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Mrs.  Mary  Duncan,  wife  of  a  Scotch  clergyman,  in  1839 
wrote  and  sang  to  her  dear  children,  and  our  little  ones  love 
it  too: 

Jesus,  tender  Shepherd,  hear  me; 

Bless  Thy  Httle  lamb  to-night; 
Through  the  darkness  be  Thou  near  me; 

Keep  me  safe  till  morning  light. 

Its  one  tune  is  St.  Sylvester  by  Dykes. 

Mrs.  Urania  L.  Bailey's  hymn,  'The  Open  Door,"  be- 
ginning : 

The  mistakes  of  my  life  have  been  many, 
The  sins  of  my  heart  have  been  more, 

with  its  only  tune,  by  Dr.  Robert  Lowry,  a  good,  tender  hymn 
for  Sunday  School  and  Prayer  Meeting,  appeared  thirty  to 
forty  years  ago,  then  disappeared.  It  now  has  place  in  the  new 
"Mission  Hymnal"  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church — 1911. 

Anna  B.  Warner  wrote  the  hymn,  impressive  when  sung 
to  Lowell  Mason's  Henley: 

"We  would  see  Jesus,  for  the  shadows  lengthen." 

Frances  Ridley  Havergal,  during  her  brief  life  of  forty- 
three  years — 1836- 1879 — wrote  many  very  sweet,  poetical, 
devotional  hymns,  among  them  being : 

"Come  unto  Me  when  shadows  darkly  gather." 

"Standing  at  the  portal  of  the  opening  year." 

"Who  is  on  the  Lord's  side  ? 
Who  will  serve  the  King?" 

"Thy  life  was  given  for  me,  ^ 
What  have  I  given  for  Thee?" 

"Take  my  life  and  let  it  be 
Consecrated,  Lord,  to  Thee." 

"Golden  harps  are  sounding, 
Angel  voices  ring." 

"Like  a  river  glorious, 
Is  God's  perfect  peace." 


Christian  Hymnology. 


109 


Lord,  speak  to  me,  that  I  may  speak      O  lead  me,  Lord,  that  I  may  lead 

In  living  echoes  of  Thy  tone.  The  wandering  and  the  wavering 

As  Thou  hast  sought,  so  let  me  seek  feet ; 

Thy  erring  children  lost  and  lone.     O  feed  me,  Lord,  that  I  may  feed, 

The  hungering  ones  with  manna 
sweet. 


Caroline  L.  Smith  wrote  this  comforting,  quieting  hymn 
for  which  nine  years  later  John  B.  Dykes  composed  its  beauti- 
fuUy  blending  tune,  St.  Sylvester. 


Tarry  with  me,  O  my  Saviour ! 

For  the  day  is  passing  by; 
See !  the  shades  of  evening  gather. 

And  the  night  is  drawing  nigh. 


Let  me  hear  Thy  voice  behind  me, 
Calming  all  these  wild  alarms; 

Let  me,  underneath  my  weakness, 
Feel  the  everlasting  arms. 


Deeper,  deeper,  grow  the  shadows. 
Paler  now  the  glowing  west. 

Swift  the  night  of  death  advances; 
Shall  it  be  the  night  of  rest? 

Lonely  seems  the  vale  of  shadow ; 

Sinks  my  heart  with  troubled  fear; 
Give  me  faith  for  clearer  vision. 

Speak  Thou,  Lord,  in  words  of 
cheer. 


Feeble,  trembling,  fainting,  dying. 
Lord,  I  cast  myself  on  Thee; 

Tarry  with  me  through  the  darkness, 
While  I  sleep,  still  watch  by  me. 

Tarry  with  me,  O  my  Saviour ! 

Lay  my  head  upon  Thy  breast; 
Till  the  morning;  then  awake  me! 

Morning  of  eternal  rest. 


Another  helpful  prayer-hymn  is  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Cod- 
ner's,  i860,  with  its  chorus,  "Even  Me." 

''Lord,  I  hear  of  showers  of  blessing." 

Of  this  hymn  there  are  six  verses  of  beautiful  prayer  out 
of  a  sweet  overflowing  heart.  Scores  of  her  hymns  are  in 
many  of  our  present-day  collections. 

Miss  Anna  L.  Waring  gave  us: 

In  heavenly  love  abiding 

No  change  my  heart  shall  fear. 

And 

Father,  I  know  that  all  my  life 

Is  portioned  out  for  me; 
The  changes  that  are  sure  to  come 

I  do  not  fear  to  see. 


no 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Sweet  contentment  springs  from  Adelaide  Anna  Proc- 
ter's verses : 

I  do  not  ask,  O  God,  that  life  may  I  do  not  ask  that  flowers  should  al- 

be  ways  spring 

A  pleasant  road;  Beneath  my  feet; 

I  do  not  ask  that  Thou  woulds't  take  I  know  too  well  the  poison  and  the 

from  me  sting 

Aught  of  its  load.  Of  things  too  sweet. 

Its  most  appropriate  tune,  Submission,  was  composed  by 
Albert  L.  Peace.  Miss  Procter  has  made  the  world  brighter 
too  by  her  cheery  hymn : 

My  God,  I  thank  Thee,  who  hast  made 

The  earth  so  bright, 
So  full  of  splendor  and  of  joy, 

Beauty  and  light. 
So  many  glorious  things  are  here 

Noble  and  right. 

There  are  six  fine  verses  in  this  hymn,  grandly  set  to  F.  C. 
Maker's  tmie — W entzvorth. 

She  wrote  also  ''The  Shadows  of  the  Evening  Hours," 
one  of  the  most  widely  cherished  of  our  evening  hymns.  Its 
best  tune  is  vS^^  Leonard  by  Henry  Hiles.  I  quote  two  of  its 
four  double  verses: 

The  shadows  of  the  evening  hours         Slowly  the  rays  of  daylight  fade; 

Fall  from  the  darkening  sky;  So  fade  within  our  hearts, 

Upon  the  fragrance  of  the  flowers.        The  hopes  in  earthly  love  and  joy, 

The  dews  of  evening  lie.  That  one  by  one  depart. 

Before    Thy    throne,    O    Lord    of    Slowly  the  bright  stars,  one  by  one. 
Heaven,  Within  the  heavens  shine; 

We  kneel  at  close  of  day ;  Give   us,   O   Lord,   fresh   hopes  in 

Look  on  Thy  children  from  on  high  heaven, 

And  hear  us  while  we  pray.  And  trust  in  things  divine. 

Miss  Anna  L.  Coghill,  of  Canada,  in  i860,  gave  us  an 
inspiriting  one,  regarded  ever  since  by  the  best  hymn  publishers 
as  indispensable: 

"Work,  for  the  night  is  coming," 

the  admirably  consonant  music  for  which,  named  Work  Song, 
was  composed  by  Lowell  Mason,  in  1864. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


Ill 


The  stimulating  sentiment  of  this  song  followed  by 
Horatius  Bonar's  "Go,  labor  on,  spend  and  be  spent,  my  joy  to 
do  the  Master's  will,"  sung  to  Kingsley's  tune,  Williams,  will 
start  any  Christian  army  on  the  march  lustily  singing  ''On- 
ward, Christian  Soldiers." 

Miss  Katharine  Hankey  is  the  esteemed  author  of 

"Tell  me  the  old,  old  story/' 

the  suitable  tune  for  which  was  composed  by  Bishop  Doane. 
Miss  Hankey  wrote  also 

'T  love  to  tell  the  story/' 

the  ever-abiding  tune  for  wdiich  was  composed  by  William  G. 
Fischer,  of  Philadelphia,  who  added  the  chorus: 

I  love  to  tell  the  story, 

'Twill  be  my  theme  in  glory,  etc. 

Miss  Emily  T.  Oakey  is  author  of 

"Sowing  the  seed  by  the  daylight  fair/' 

and  P.  P.  Bliss  supplied  its  suitable  tune. 

Mrs.  Mary  F.  Maude's  Confirmation  Hymn: 

"Thine  forever !  God  of  love. 
Hear  us  from  Thy  throne  above/' 

is  in  our  best  hymnals. 

Mrs.  Margaret  Mackay  wrote  the  treasured  funeral 
hymn: 

"Asleep  in  Jesus !  blessed  sleep ! 
From  which  none  ever  wakes  to  weep/' 

written  in  1832.    Bradbury's  Rest  is  its  most  appropriate  tune. 

Mary  A.  Lathbury  was  endowed  by  the  Spirit  to  wTite 
that  brief  but  strong  hymn,  appropriate  at  celebration  of  the 
Lord's  Supper: — 

"Break  Thou  the  Bread  of  Life." 


112 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Its  excellent  tune  is  by  W.  F.  Sherwin. 

Miss  Lathbury  wrote  also  the  beautiful  evening  hymn: 

"Day  is  dying  in  the  west," 

and  Mr.  Sherwin  composed  its  admirable  tune. 

Mrs.  C.  M.  Morris  in  1900  wrote  the  following  good,  spir- 
itual h}'mn  and  the  tune  for  it,  which  is  heart-touching. 


C.  H.  M. 


Nearer,  Still  Nearer, 


Mrs.  C.  H.  Morris. 


1 — 1  ' — 

— \  J — J — 

— s- 

^  ^— ' 

1 

1.  Near-  er, still  near-  er,  close  to  thy  heart,  Draw  me,  my  Sav 

2.  Near-  er,  still  near-  er,  noth-  ing  I    bring,  Naught  as  an  off' 

3.  Near- er, still  near- er,  Lord,  to  be  thine  Sin,    with  its  fol 

4.  Near- er,  still  near- er,  while  life  shall  last,  Till    safe  in  glo 


lOur,  so 
ring  to 
-lies,  I 
-ry  my 


s 


 (2  ^ 


HWrs  r 

^^^^^ 

=^=^  =1=4: 

^ — 0—^ 

— ^ 

m 


precious  thou  art;    Fold  me,  O    fold  me  close  to  thy  breast,  Shelter  me 

Je-  sus  my  King;  On  -  ly  my  sin  -  ful,now  contrite  heart, Grant  me  the 
glad- ly  re  -  sign ;  All  of  its  pleausures,  pomp  and  its  pride,  Give  me  but 
an-choris  cast;    Thro' endless  a  -  ges,  ev  -  er  to  be,     Near-er,  my 

J.  TJ^^ 

'  15>  # — #-r(5^  \  • — P-rl^-  rC 


1=1^ 


1    1  ^ 

f'r 

safe  in  that  "Haven  of  Rest."  Shelter  me  safe  in  that  "Haven  of  Rest." 
cleansing  thy  blood  doth  impart.  Grant  me  the  cleansing  thy  blood  doth  impart. 
Je-sus,my  Lord  cru-ci-fied.   Give  me  but  Je-  sus,  my  Lord  cru-ci-fied. 
Saviour,  still  nearer  to  thee,    Nearer,  my  Saviour,  still  near-er  to  thee. 


I 


3 


Copyright,  1898,  by  H.  L.  Gilmour,  Wenonah,  N.  J. 


By  permission  of  H.  L.  Gilmour. 


Christian  Hymnology.  113 
The  name  of  Elizabeth  P.  Prentiss  brings  to  mind: 

More  love  to  Thee,  O  Christ, 

More  love  to  Thee. 
Hear  Thou  the  prayer  I  make, 

On  bended  knee. 

And  that  of  Annie  S.  Hawkes  calls  us  to  a  helpful  one  that  we 
all  love  to  sing: 

"I  need  Thee  every  hour." 

always  to  its  own  and  only  tune,  Need,  by  Dr.  Lowry. 

But  one  other  woman's  name  I  must  call  to  us,  one  that 
might  well  have  been  placed  among  the  first — Fanny  Crosby — 
lately  known  as  Fanny  J.  Crosby  V an  Alstyne,  author  of  many 
such  evangelical  hymns  as : 

"  Tis  the  blessed  hour  of  prayer." 

"Pass  me  not,  O  gentle  Saviour." 

"Never  be  sad  or  desponding." 

"Rescue  the  perishing." 

"Only  a  step  to  Jesus." 

"Safe  in  the  arms  of  Jesus." 

"I  am  Thine,  O  Lord." 

"Blessed  assurance,  Jesus  is  mine." 

"Praise  Him,  Praise  Him,  Jesus  our  blessed  Redeemer." 

"Lord,  at  Thy  mercy  seat  humbly  I  fall." 

"Speed  away,  speed  away,  on  your  mission  of  light." 

"Some  day  the  silver  cord  will  break." 

"Send  the  light,  O  send  it  quickly." 

"Jesus,  keep  me  near  the  cross." 

"Saviour,  more  than  life  to  me." 


114 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


She  wrote  many  good  hymns  for  children.  Thirty-one  of 
them  are  in  "Bright  Jewels  for  the  Sunday  School,"  issued  by 
Bradbury  &  Lowry  about  fifty  years  ago. 

Born  in  1820,  blind  from  infancy,  Fanny  Crosby  has  conse- 
crated her  long  life  to  writing  of  sacred  songs.  She  is  now 
living  in  good  health  in  her  93d  year. 

It  has  been  said  that  her  hymns  number  more  than  five 
thousand.  A  number  of  them  have  been  more  generally  attract- 
ive to  the  best  composers  of  gospel  music  than  have  those  of  any 
other  writer  of  such  hymns  in  our  day,  among  them  being  Dr. 
William  H.  Doane,  George  F.  Root,  Ira  D.  Sankey,  William 
Bradbury,  William  F.  Sherwin,  George  C.  Stebbins,  Rev.  Rob- 
ert Lowry,  H.  P.  Danks  and  Thomas  E.  Perkins.  Her  favorite 
of  all  her  hymns,  we  are  told,  is, 

Safe  in  the  arms  of  Jesus, 

Safe  on  His  gentle  breast; 
There  by  His  love  o'ershadowed, 

Sweetly  my  soul  shall  rest. 
Hark !  'tis  the  voice  of  angels, 

Borne  in  a  song  to  me, 
Over  the  fields  of  glory. 

Over  the  jasper  sea. 

It  has  three  verses,  all  poetical  and  heart  touching.  At  the 
funeral  of  General  U.  S.  Grant,  August  7,  1885,  it  was  sung  to 
a  band  accompaniment.  It  was  a  favorite  of  President 
McKinley. 

Even  now,  in  her  great  age,  Fanny  Crosby  is  writing 
hymns.  In  a  letter  written  to  me  October  25,  191 1,  she  says, 
"my  publishers  have  been  calling  for  new  hymns,  and  my 
friends  are  calling  me  hither  and  yon."  The  secret  of  her  long 
and  happy  life  is  revealed  in  such  of  her  hymns  as 

"Never  be  sad  or  desponding." 

"I  will  not  be  weary,  tho'  trials  may  come." 

"Some  day  the  silver  cord  will  break,  and  I  shall  see  Him 
face  to  face." 

"They  tell  me  of  a  land  so  fair." 


Christian  Hymnology. 


115 


Names  enough  have  l)een  mentioned  to  assure  us  that  our 
hymnary  would  be  sadly  impaired  if  angel  woman  had  never 
tuned  her  lyre  to  gospel  song.  As  it  is,  it  would  seem  that 
Jacob's  ladder  stands  to-day  as  of  old,  firm  as  ever,  with  heaven's 
messengers  ascending  and  descending  on  it. 


Chapter  IX. 


SOME  VALUED  HYMNS  BY  WATTS  AND  OTHER 

MEN. 

However  pleasing  the  contrast  between  these  heart-drawing 
woman  lyrics  and  those  of  the  men  upon  whose  hymns  I  have 
animadverted,  I  would  be  sorry  to  leave  the  impression  that 
those  old  Christian  braves  were  never  in  a  tender,  full-salvation 
mood,  or  that,  when  writing  their  hymns,  they  never  stretched 
their  wings  to  sunnier  flights  nor  tuned  their  harps  to  joyful 
lays.  Superabundant  as  were  their  songs  in  sad,  minor  strains, 
sometimes,  with  God-given  grace  they  penned  living  lyrics  that 
all  Christendom  has  loved  to  sing  to  this  happy  day. 

The  forsaking  of  such  of  their  old  hymns  as  are  terror- 
strikers  or  otherwise  now  unadapted  to  the  purposes  for  which 
they  were  written  has  been  in  obedience  to  the  apostolic  injunc- 
tion, ''Prove  all  things;  hold  fast  that  zvhich  is  good!'  It  has 
been  in  recognition  of  radical  changes  of  underlying  charac- 
teristics, an  unremitting  devotional  trend,  a  more  heartening 
theology,  a  touching  of  a  chord  more  in  tune  with  the  Infinite, 
in  a  word,  it  marks  a  spiritual  evolution  of  our  hymnology. 
The  treasuring  of  many  of  their  brighter  old  lyrics  proves  that 
these  have  a  just  claim  to  immortality,  and  are  worth  holding 
fast.  Here  follow  some  prominent  typical  examples  that  are 
so  familiar  we  could  sing  them  all  without  a  book,  on  the  giving 
out  of  their  first  lines  only — I  have  chosen  these  because  they 
have  chosen  us. 

Following  are  twenty  by  Dr.  Watts — all  gladsome — and 
all  highly  regarded  to  this  day : 

"When  I  survey  the  wondrous  cross." 
"Raise  your  triumphant  songs." 
"Lord,  in  the  morning  Thou  shalt  hear." 
(ii6) 


Christian  Hymnology. 


117 


"Give  me  the  wings  of  faith  to  rise," 
*'My  God,  how  endless  is  Thy  love." 
"Come,  Holy  Spirit,  Heavenly  Dove." 
"O  God,  our  help  in  ages  past." 
"When  I  can  read  my  title  clear." 
"There  is  a  land  of  pure  delight." 
"Begin,  my  tongue,  some  heavenly  theme." 
"Come,  we  that  love  the  Lord." 
"The  Lord  my  Shepherd  is." 
"Joy  to  the  world,  the  Lord  is  come." 
"I'm  not  ashamed  to  own  my  Lord." 
"Come,  dearest  Lord,  descend  and  dwell." 
"Come,  let  us  join  our  cheerful  songs." 
"Jesus  shall  reign  where'er  the  sun." 
"How  beauteous  are  their  feet." 
"My  dear  Redeemer  and  my  Lord." 
"Welcome,  sweet  day  of  rest." 

Another,  written  by  Dr.  Watts,  1707,  set  to  its  own  tune, 
Avon,  sometimes  called  Martyrdom,  of  sacred  memory  to  all 
who,  like  myself,  have  heard  it  from  infancy,  is : 

Alas,  and  did  my  Saviour  bleed ! 

And  did  my  Sovereign  die ! 
Would  He  devote  that  sacred  head 

For  such  a  worm  as  I ! 

The  last  line  of  this  verse  in  latest  hymnals  reads : 
For  sinners  such  as  L 

Charles  Wesley,  brother  of  John  Wesley,  the  greatest 
hymner  of  his  time,  in  hours  of  transport  wrote  many  wonder- 
fully fine,  spiritual  hymns.  Some  of  them  were  pronounced  by 
Isaac  Watts  to  be  of  greater  value  than  any  of  his  own.  He 


ii8 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


is  on  record  as  the  author  of  over  six  thousand  hymns.  Of  them 
I  name  a  dozen  f amihar  favorites : 

"O  could  I  speak  the  matchless  worth." 

for  a  thousand  tongues  to  sing." 
"Love  divine,  all  love  excelling." 
"Christ,  whose  glory  fills  the  skies." 
"Come,  Thou  Almighty  King." 
"Hark!  the  herald  angels  sing." 
"Depth  of  mercy,  can  there  be." 
"O  for  a  heart  to  praise  my  God." 
"A  charge  to  keep  I  have." 
"Soldiers  of  Christ,  arise." 
"Ye  servants  of  God,  your  Master  proclaim." 
"Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul." 

Christians  of  every  name  and  cHme  know  and  love  every 
line  of  "Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul."  In  testimony  of  this  I  copy 
the  following  from  "English  Hymns/'  by  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel  W. 
Duffield,  by  permission  of  its  publishers,  Funk  &  Wagnalls, 
of  New  York : 

Henry  Ward  Beecher  once  said,  after  a  reference  to  his 
father's  (Dr.  Lyman  Beecher)  death,  and  his  love  for  this 
hymn : 

"I  would  rather  have  written  that  hymn  of  Wesley's, 

Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul, 
Let  me  to  Thy  bosom  fly, 

than  to  have  the  fame  of  all  the  kings  that  ever  sat  on  the  earth. 
It  is  more  glorious ;  it  has  more  power  in  it.  I  would  rather  be  the 
author  of  that  hymn  than  to  hold  the  wealth  of  the  richest  man  in 
New  York.  He  will  die.  He  is  dead,  and  does  not  know  it.  He 
will  pass,  after  a  little  while,  out  of  men's  thoughts.  What  will 
there  be  to  speak  of  him?  What  will  he  have  done  that  will  stop 
trouble,  or  encourage  hope?  His  money  will  go  to  his  heirs,  and 
they  will  divide  it.  It  is  like  a  stream  divided  and  growing  nar- 
rower by  division.  And  they  will  die,  and  it  will  go  to  their  heirs. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


In  three  or  four  generations  everything  comes  to  the  ground 
again  for  redistribution.  But  that  hymn  will  go  on  singing  until 
the  last  trump  brings  forth  the  angel  band;  and  then,  I  think  it 
will  mount  up  on  some  lip  to  the  very  presence  of  God." 

I  quote  the  following  also  from  Duffield's  "English 
Hymns": 

In  the  winter  of  1872  Mr.  Charles  Trumbull  White,  being 
engaged  in  hospital  work  of  a  religious  character,  visited  Bellevue 
Hospital,  New  York  City.  He  was  specially  urged  by  the  attend- 
ants to  see  an  English  sailor  in  one  of  the  wards,  who  was  near 
death.  The  man  was  found  to  be  fast  going,  and  unable  to  artic- 
ulate. Mr.  White,  therefore,  leaned  down  and  repeated,  so  that 
he  might  hear  them,  the  words  of  this  hymn.  To  all  appearance 
they  were  uttered  to  the  "dull,  cold  ear  of  death,"  and  he  departed, 
feeling  as  though  he  had  failed  to  secure  the  least  response. 

About  midnight,  however,  of  the  same  night  this  unknown 
sailor  seemed  to  arouse.  He  sat  up  in  his  cot  and,  with  a  clearly 
audible  voice,  he  spoke  the  words : 

Jesu,  lover  of  my  soul. 

Let  me  to  Thy  bosom  fly. 
While  the  nearer  waters  roll, 

While  the  tempest  still  is  higfh: 
Hide  me,  O  my  Saviour,  hide, 

Till  the  storm  of  life  be  past; 
Safe  into  the  haven  guide, 

O,  receive  my  soul  at  last, 

and  continued  until  he  had  repeated  the  entire  hymn.  He  then 
added  other  verses  of  hymns  for  several  minutes,  but  ceased 
suddenly,  fell  back,  and  was  dead.  Who  can  tell  how  great  a 
bridge  had  been  thrown  by  those  familiar  words  across  the  gulf 
of  memory,  and  how  great  a  comfort  they  may  have  brought 
to  his  dying  hour.  The  circumstances  were  precisely  as  we  have 
given  them,  and  no  explanation  was  ever  obtained. 

Rev.  Dr.  George  Duffield  (the  author  of  ''Stand  up, 
stand  up  for  Jesus")  writes: 

One  of  the  most  blessed  days  of  my  life  was  when  I  found, 
after  my  harp  had  long  hung  on  the  willows,  that  I  could  sing 
again ;  that  a  new  song  was  put  into  my  mouth ;  and  when,  ere 
ever  I  was  aware,  I  was  singing  "Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul."  If 
there  is  anything  in  Christian  experience  of  joy  and  sorrow,  of 
affliction  and  prosperity,  of  life  and  death — that  hymn  is  the 
hymn  of  the  ages ! 


I20 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


One  other  of  Charles  Wesley's  gems  must  be  mentioned- 
with  its  perfect  tune  Bradford,  by  Handel,  arr.  1741 : 


I  know  that  my  Redeemer  lives, 

And  ever  prays  for  me; 
A  token  of  His  love  He  gives, 

A  pledge  of  liberty. 

I  find  Him  lifting  up  my  head. 
He  brings  salvation  near; 

His  presence  makes  me  free  indeed. 
And  He  will  soon  appear. 


He  wills  that  I  should  holy  be; 

Who  can  withstand  His  will? 
The  counsel  of  His  grace  in  me. 

He  surely  shall  fulfil. 

Jesus,  I  hang  upon  Thy  word, 

I  steadfastly  believe; 
Thou  wilt  return,  and  claim  me.  Lord, 

And  to  Thyself  receive. 


Alexander  Pope,  171 2,  wrote  the  great  stirring  mission 
hymn : 

Rise,   crown'd   with   light,   imperial     See  barbarous  nations  at  thy  gates 


Salem,  rise; 


attend. 


Exalt   thy   towering   head   and   lift     Walk  in  thy  light,  and  in  thy  temple 


thine  eyes; 


bend 


See  heav'n  its  sparkling  portals  wide     See  thy  bright  altars  thronged  with 


display, 


prostrate  kings. 


And  break  upon  thee  in  a  flood  of     While  every  land  its  joyous  tribute 


day. 


brings. 


See  a  long  race  thy  spacious  courts     The  seas  shall  waste,  the  skies  to 


adorn ; 

See  future  sons,  and  daughters  yet  un- 
born; 

In  crowding  ranks  on  every  side  arise, 
Demanding   life,   impatient   for  the 
skies. 


smoke  decay; 
Rocks  fall  to  dust,  and  mountains  melt 
away ; 

But  fixed  His  word.  His  saving  power 
remains ; 

Thy  realm  shall  last;  Thy  own  Mes- 
siah reigns. 


It  is  considered  indispensable  by  all  the  best  hymn  book 
makers,  and  is  universally  set  to  the  great  tune  Moscozv  or 
"Russian  Hymn"  by  Alexis  T.  Lwoff — 1833. 

Philip  Doddridge,  i 702-1 751,  a  close  friend  of  Isaac 
Watts,  though  twenty-eight  years  younger,  was  author  of 
many  good  hymns  with  staying  qualities.  We  still  sing  in 
our  churches : 

"Awake,  my  soul,  stretch  every  nerve." 

"Hark !  the  glad  sound !  the  Saviour  comes." 


Christian  Hymnology. 


121 


"O  happy  day  that  fixed  my  choice." 
"O  God  of  Bethel,  by  whose  hand." 
"Triumphant  Zion,  lift  thy  head." 
"My  God,  and  is  Thy  table  spread." 
"See  Israel's  gentle  Shepherd  stands." 
"Grace,  'tis  a  charming  sound." 
"How  gentle  God's  commands." 

Rev.  William  Williams,  1745,  author  of  the  indispen- 
sable hymn : 

"Guide  me,  O  Thou  great  Jehovah," 

never  could  have  imagined  that  it  would  be  on  millions  of 
tongues  after  he  had  ended  his  pilgrimage  through  this  barren 
land. 

I  now  select  a  hymn  or  two  of  each  of  a  number  of  gifted 
authors  of  long  ago — world  favorites : 

"Come,  Thou  Almighty  King,  help  us  Thy  name  to  sing." 
(Anonymous,  A.  D.  1757;  credited  to  Charles  Wesley.) 

"Sweet  the  moments,  rich  in  blessing,"  by  Rev.  James 
Allen,  1757. 

"O  for  a  closer  walk  with  God,"  1769,  by  William  Cow- 

PER. 

"Hark,  my  soul,  it  is  the  Lord,"  1768,  by  William 

COWPER. 

"Rock  of  Ages,  cleft  for  me,"  1776,  by  Rev.  A.  M.  Top- 
lady. 

"All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  name,"  by  Perronet,  1779. 

"Glorious  things  of  Thee  are  spoken,"  by  Rev.  John 
Newton,  1779. 

"How  sweet  the  name  of  Jesus  sounds,"  by  Rev.  John 
Newton,  1781. 

"My  soul,  be  on  thy  guard,"  by  Rev.  George  Heath,  1784. 

"How  firm  a  foundation,  ye  saints  of  the  Lord."  Pub- 
lished 1787;  authorship  uncertain. 


122 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


''Come,  ye  disconsolate,  where'er  ye  languish,"  by  Thomas 
Moore,  i8i6. 

"Lift  your  glad  voices  in  triumph  on  high,"  by  Rev. 
Henry  Ware,  Jr.,  1817. 

"From  Greenland's  icy  mountains,"  by  Bishop  Reginald 
Heber,  1819. 

"By  cool  Siloam's  shady  rill,"  by  Bishop  Reginald  Heber, 
1812. 

"Bread  of  the  world,  in  mercy  broken,"  1826,  by  Bishop 
Heber. 

"The  morning  light  is  breaking,  the  darkness  disappears," 
by  Rev.  Samuel  F.  Smith,  1833. 

Of  sacred  morning  hymns  I  would  place  the  following,  by 
Rev.  John  Keble,  written  in  1822,  with  its  fine  tune,  Melcombe, 
composed  by  Samuel  Webbe,  1782,  at  the  head.  There  is  a 
whole  sermon  in  it. 


New  every  morning  is  the  love, 
Our  wakening  and  uprising  prove; 
Through  sleep  and  darkness  safely 
brought, 

Restored    to    life    and    power  and 
thought. 

New  mercies  each  returning  day. 
Hover  around  us  while  we  pray; 
New  perils  past,  new  sins  forgiven, 
New  thoughts  of  God,  new  hopes  of 
heaven. 


If  on  our  daily  course,  our  mind 
Be  set  to  hallow  all  we  find, 
New  treasures  still  of  countless  price 
God  will  provide  for  sacrifice. 


The  trivial  round,  the  common  task, 
Will  furnish  all  we  ought  to  ask; 
Room  to  deny  ourselves,  a  road 
To  bring  us  daily  nearer  God. 


Only,  O  Lord,  in  Thy  dear  love, 
Fit  us  for  perfect  rest  above; 
And  help  us  this  and  every  day. 
To  live  more  nearly  as  we  pray. 


And  of  evening  hymns  it  is  acknowledged  that  .  John 
Keble  again  wins  a  high  prize  for  ''Sun  of  my  soul,  Thou 
Saviour  dear,"  written  1820,  and  wedded  to  an  eighteenth  cen- 
tury tune,  Hnrsley.    It  is  too  good  to  skip  a  single  verse. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


123 


Sun  of  my  soul,  Thou  Saviour  dear, 
It  is  not  night  if  Thou  be  near; 
O  may  no  earth-born  cloud  arise, 
To  hide  Thee  from  Thy  servant's 
eyes. 

When  the  soft  dews  of  kindly  sleep. 
My  wearied  eyelids  gently  steep, 
Be  my  last  thought,  how  sweet  to 
rest. 

Forever  on  my  Saviour's  breast. 

Abide  with  me  from  morn  till  eve, 
For  without  Thee  I  cannot  live; 
Abide  with  me  when  night  is  nigh. 
For  without  Thee  I  dare  not  die. 


If    some   poor    wandering   child  of 
Thine, 

Have  spurned  to-day  the  voice  Divine, 
Now,  Lord,  the  gracious  work  begin; 
Let  him  no  more  lie  down  in  sin. 

Watch  by  the  sick;  enrich  the  poor; 
With  blessings  from  Thy  boundless 
store ; 

Be  every  mourner's  sleep  to-night, 
Like  infants'  slumbers,  pure  and  light. 

Come  near  and  bless  us  when  we 
wake, 

Ere  through  the  world  our  way  we 
take. 

Till  in  the  ocean  of  Thy  love. 
We  lose  ourselves  in  heaven  above. 


James  Montgomery,  i 771 -1854,  left  us  many  of  our  very 
best,  among  them : 

"Angels  from  the  realms  of  glory." 
"Go  to  dark  Gethsemane." 
"In  the  hour  of  trial." 
"Jerusalem,  my  happy  home." 
"O  where  shall  rest  be  found?" 

Following  are  two  of  a  kind  that  appeal  to  our  hearts  ten- 
derly, written,  as  they  are,  in  the  first  person,  singular.  They 
are  among  the  many  loved  hymns  by  Rev.  Horatius  Bonar, 
D.D.,  1808-1889: 

Yes,  for  me,  for  me  He  careth,  Yes  in  me,  in  me  He  dwelleth, 

With  a  brother's  tender  care ;  I  in  Him,  and  He  in  me ! 

Yes,  with  me,  with  me  He  shareth.        And  my  empty  soul  He  filleth, 
Every  burden,  every  fear.  Here  and  through  eternity. 

Yes,  o'er  me,  o'er  me  He  watcheth.  Thus  I  wait  for  His  returning, 

Ceaseless  watcheth,  night  and  day;  Singing  all  the  way  to  heaven; 

Yes,  e'en  me,  e'en  me  He  snatcheth,  Such  the  joyful  song  of  morning. 

From  the  perils  of  the  way.  Such  the  tranquil  song  of  even. 


124 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


CONSECRATION. 


Fill  Thou  my  life,  O  Lord  my  God, 
In  every  part  with  praise; 

That  my  whole  being  may  proclaim. 
Thy  being  and  Thy  ways. 

Not  for  the  lip  of  praise  alone, 
Nor  e'en  the  praising  heart, 

I  ask,  but  for  a  life  made  up 
Of  praise  in  every  part. 

Praise  in  the  common  things  of  life, 

Its  goings  out  and  in, 
Praise  in  each  duty  and  each  deed, 

However  small  and  mean. 


Fill  every  part  of  me  with  praise; 

Let  all  my  being  speak 
Of  Thee  and  of  Thy  love,  O  Lord, 

Poor  though  I  be  and  weak. 

So  shall  Thou,  Lord,  from  me  e'en  me, 

Receive  the  glory  due. 
And  so  shall  I  begin  on  earth 

The  song  forever  new. 

So  shall  no  part  of  day  or  night, 

From  sacredness  be  free; 
But  all  my  life,  in  every  step. 

Be  fellowship  with  Thee. 

Rev.  Horatius  Bonar,  1866. 


Other  favorites  by  Dr.  Bonar  are : 

"Go,  labor  on,  spend  and  be  spent." 
"I  heard  the  voice  of  Jesus  say." 
"A  few  more  years  shall  roll." 
''Beyond  the  smiling  and  the  weeping." 
'T  lay  my  sins  on  Jesus." 
"Thy  way,  not  mine,  O  Lord." 
"When  the  weary,  seeking  rest." 

In  one  of  our  denominational  church  hymnals,  there  are 
twenty-two  of  Dr.  Bonar's  hymns ;  in  others,  ten  to  fifteen  each. 

One  selected  hymn  of  each  of  the  following  list  of  inspired 
men  is  enough  to  entitle  them  to  have  their  names  written  in  the 
book  of  life : 

Sir  John  Bowring,  1792-1872 — 'In  the  Cross  of  Christ  I 
glory." 

Bishop  Doane,  1799-1859 — "Softly  now  the  light  of  day." 
Thomas  Hastings,  1784-1872 — ''Hail  to  the  brightness  of 
Zion's  glad  morning." 


Christian  Hymnology. 


125 


William  B.  Tappan,  i  794-1849 — "  Tis  midnight,  and  on 
Olive's  brow." 

Rev.  Henry  F.  Lyte,  1793-1847 — 'Traise,  my  soul,  the 
King  of  Heaven." 

Wordsworth,  1807-1885 — "O  day  of  rest  and  gladness." 

Rev.  Ray  Palmer,  D.D.,  1808-1887— "My  faith  looks  up 
to  Thee." 

Rev.  F.  W.  Faber,  1814-1863 — Paradise,  O  Paradise." 
Rev.  Edward  Mote,  1797-1874 — ''My  hope  is  built  on 
nothing  less." 

Rev.  Samuel  J.  Stone,  1839 — 'The  Church's  one  founda- 
tion." 

Rev.  Samuel  Longfellow,  1819-1 892— "Again,  as  even- 
ing's shadow  falls." 

Rev.  Andrew  Reed,  1787-1862 — "Holy  Ghost,  with  light 
divine." 

Rev.  Sir  FIenry  W.  Baker,  1821-1877 — "The  King  of 
love  my  Shepherd  is." 

Rev.  S.  Baring  Gould,  1865 — "Now  the  day  is  over." 

Rev.  John  Fllerton,  1826-1893 — "Saviour,  again  to  Thy 
dear  name  we  raise." 

John  G.  Whittier,  1807- 1892 — "Immortal  love,  forever 
full,"  the  second  verse  of  which  begins  with  "We  may  not  climb 
the  heavenly  steeps."  As  dear  to  us  is  the  same  poet's  "Dear 
Lord  and  Father  of  mankind."  Both  these  hymns  may  well  be 
made  our  prayers. 

The  following  beautiful  hymn,  most  expressive  of  faith, 
hope  and  love,  in  deep  humility,  was  written  by  Whittier,  our 
consecrated  Quaker  poet,  1867: 


I  bow  my  forehead  to  the  dust, 

I  veil  mine  eyes  for  shame; 
And  urge  in  trembling  self-distrust, 

A  prayer  without  a  claim. 
No  offering  of  mine  own  I  have, 

Nor  works  my  faith  to  prove ; 
I  can  but  give  the  gifts  he  gave, 

And  plead  His  love  for  love. 


I  dimly  guess,  from  blessings  known, 

Or  greater  out  of  sight; 
And,  with  the  chastened  Psalmist,  own 

His  judgments  too  are  right. 
And  if  my  heart  and  flesh  are  weak, 

To  bear  an  untried  pain, 
The  bruised  reed  He  will  not  break, 

But  strengthen  and  sustain. 


126 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


I  know  not  what  the  future  hath, 

Of  marvel  or  surprise; 
Assured  alone  that  life  or  death, 

His  mercy  underlies. 
And  so  beside  the  silent  sea, 

I  wait  the  muffled  oar; 
No  harm  from  Him  can  come  to  me, 

On  ocean  or  on  shore. 


I  know  not  where  His  islands  lift 

Their  fronded  palms  in  air; 
I  only  know  I  cannot  drift 

Beyond  His  love  and  care. 
And  Thou,  O  Lord,  by  whom  are  seen 

Thy  creatures  as  they  be, 
Forgive  me  if  too  close  I  lean 

My  human  heart  on  Thee. 


Bishop  W.  W.  How,  1867,  gave  the  church  this  lovely 
hymn  of  three  double  verses,  now  in  every  worthy  collection. 
The  Episcopalians  prize  it  so  highly  they  give  it  three  pages 
and  three  tunes  in  their  hymnal,  the  first  and  best  of  which  is 
St.  Edith.    I  quote  only  the  first  verse: 

O  Jesus,  Thou  art  standing, 

Outside  the  fast-closed  door. 
In  lowly  patience  waiting, 

To  pass  the  threshold  o'er; 
Shame  on  us,  Christian  brothers, 

His  name  and  sign  who  bear ! 
O  shame,  thrice  shame  upon  us, 

To  keep  Him  standing  there! 

Bishop  Arthur  Cleveland  Cox,  in  1840,  gave  his 
Church  and  country  the  stirring  hymn,  grand,  when  sung  to 
Haydn's  Austria: 

We  are  living,  we  are  dwelling 

In  a  grand  and  awful  time. 
In  an  age  of  ages  telling 

To  be  living  is  sublime. 

Rev.  Washington  Gladden's  beautiful  prayer-hymn: 

O  Master,  let  me  walk  with  Thee 
In  lowly  paths  of  service  free; 


cannot  be  spared  from  any  of  our  hymnals. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


127 


Bishop  Phillips  Brooks,  out  of  his  holy  inspiration, 
wrote,  in  1880,  the  perfect  Christmas  hymn: 

"O  little  town  of  Bethlehem," 

and  for  it,  his  friend  and  our  friend,  Lewis  H.  Redner,  com- 
posed its  tune. 

Again,  I  quote  from  Dr.  Bodine's  book,  "Some  Hymns  and 
Hymn  Writers" : 

One  stirring  American  hymn  merits  a  word  of  attention. 
It  was  written  by  Samuel  Wolcott,  a  Congregational  clergy- 
man, like  so  many  others  a  graduate  of  Yale  College  and  of 
Andover  Theological  Seminary.  As  he  tells  us,  he  had  never 
put  two  lines  together  until  he  was  fifty-five  years  old.  He  then 
tried  a  hymn,  with  a  fairly  successful  result.  Soon  afterwards 
the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  of  Ohio  met  in  Cleve- 
land, where  he  was  pastor  of  a  church.  He  was  attracted  by 
some  evergreen  lettering  over  the  pulpit,  "Christ  for  the  World 
and  the  World  for  Christ,"  His  heart  immediately  began  to  burn 
within  him  and,  walking  the  streets,  journeying  homewards,  the 
verses  shaped  themselves. 

Christ  for  the  world  we  sing ! 
The  world  to  Christ  we  bring, 

With  loving  zeal; 
The  poor,  and  them  that  mourn, 
The  faint  and  over-borne, 
Sin-sick  and  sorrow-worn, 

Whom  Christ  doth  heal. 

Christ  for  the  world  we  sing ! 
The  world  to  Christ  we  bring, 

With  fervent  prayer ! 
The  wayward  and  the  lost. 
By  restless  passions  tossed, 
Redeemed  at  countless  cost, 

From  dark  despair. 

Christ  for  the  world  we  sing ! 
The  world  to  Christ  we  bring. 

With  one  accord; 
With  us  the  work  to  share. 
With  us  reproach  to  dare. 
With  us  the  cross  to  bear, 

For  Christ  our  Lord. 


128 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Christ  for  the  world  we  sing ! 
The  world  to  Christ  we  bring, 

With  joyful  song; 
The  new-born  souls^  whose  days, 
Reclaimed  from  error's  ways, 
Inspired  with  hope  and  praise, 

To  Christ  belong. 

American  thought  is  expansive.  It  readily  takes  in  the  ideas 
of  universal  evangelization.  "Christ  for  the  World."  What  better 
motto  can  American  Christianity  lift  to  the  skies? 


Rev.  George  Matheson,  in  1882,  wrote  the  next  following 
hymn  which  has  taken  root  deeply  in  the  affections  of  every 
lover  of  good  hymns.  Its  tune,  St.  Margaret,  by  Albert  L. 
Peace,  is  a  grandly  fitting  complement  to  the  words, — 


0  Love  that  will  not  let  me  go, 
I  rest  my  weary  soul  in  Thee; 

1  give  Thee  back  the  life  I  owe, 
That  in  Thine  ocean  depths  its  flow 

May  richer,  fuller  be. 

O  Light  that  followe^t  all  my  way, 

I  yield  my  flickering  torch  to  Thee ; 
My  heart  restores  its  borrowed  ray, 
That  in  Thy  sunshine's  blaze  its  day 
May  brighter,  fairer  be. 


0  Joy  that  seekest  me  through  pain 
I  cannot  close  my  heart  to  Thee; 

1  trace  the  rainbow  through  the  rain, 
And  feel  the  promise  is  not  vain 

That  morn  shall  tearless  be. 

0  Cross  that  liftest  up  my  head, 
I  dare  not  ask  to  fly  from  Thee; 

1  lay  in  dust  life's  glory  dead. 

And  from  the  ground  there  blossoms 
red 

Life  that  shall  endless  be. 


J.  S.  B.  MoNSELL,  1862,  wrote  the  tenderly  cherished  hymn 
of  which  I  quote  the  first  two  verses : 

Sweet  is  Thy  mercy.  Lord,  My  need,  and  Thy  desires. 

Before  Thy  mercy  seat,  Are  all  in  Christ  complete ; 

My  soul,  adoring,  pleads  Thy  word.        Thou  hast  the  justice  truth  requires, 
And  owns  Thy  mercy  sweet.  And  I  Thy  mercy  sweet. 


By  permission  of  Rev.  Benjamin  B.  Warfield,  D.D., 
of  Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  I  include  here  two  of  his 
excellent  hymns: 


Christian  Hymnology. 


129 


MEIRINGEN. 


Christian  G.  Neefe,  1777. 


1.  The  Lord  has  come  un  -  to    His  world!  Nay, nay,  that  can  -  not    be:  The 


I 


workl  is  full  of    noisomeness,    And  all    in  -  i  -  qui  -  ty;      The  Lord — thrice 


\  1 

1   ^  I 

1 

1 

-H  


-H— I— Ltf- 


ho  -  ly     is  His  name —  He  can  -  not  touch  this  thing 


mm 


^ — ■ 


of  shame. 




2  The  Lord  has  come  into  His  world! 

"Ah,  then,  He  comes  in  might, 
The  sword  of  fury  in  His  hands, 

With  vengeance  all  bedigiit! 
O  wietclied  world!  thine  end  draws  near. 
Prepare  to  meet  tliy  God,  in  fear!" 


3  The  Lord  has  come  into  His  world! 
"What!  in  that  baby  sweet? 
That  broken  man,  acquaint  witli  grief  ? 

Those  bleeding  hands  and  feet? 
He  is  the  Lord  of  all  the  eartli, 
How  can  He  stoop  to  human  birth?'' 


4  The  Lord  has  come  into  His  world! 
"A  slaughtered  Lamb  I  see, 
A  smoking  altar,  on  which  burns 

A  sacrifice  for  me! 
He  comes— He  comes— O  blessed  day! — 
He  comes  to  take  my  sin  awav!" 


By  permission  of  Rev.  Benjamin  B.  Warfield,  D.D. 


I30 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


THE  LOVE  OF  GOD 

Rev.  Benjamin  B.  Warfield,  D.D. 


Moderato. 


ALMIGHTY^ 

Eev.  B.  F.  ALLEMAN,  D.D. 

-1^  pi  1  1_ 


0     the   love   of   God    Al  -  might  -  y, 
j^-     -0t-     -m-  -(=2. 


0     His  cease  -  less  love  ! 


-^ — — ^- 


\  V 


Pierc  -  ing  thro'  the  depths  be  -  neath 


Through  the  heights   a  -  bove ; 


Wid  -  er  than  the  bound-less  spac 
— |g—  |g  S  S  [a  ^fe 


Where  the  stars    do  dwell; 


:±: 


Kind  -  ling  heav  -  en  with  its  bright  -  ness,       Reach  -  ing  down    to     hell ; 


 ^  b**- 


^  1 


Kind 


ling  heav  -  en  with  its  bright 

-      -      '    ^  ' 


ness,       Reach  -  ing  down  to  hell. 


Besides  the  goodly  multitude  already  mentioned,  every  one 
of  the  following  may  be  regarded  as  indispensable,  whether  for 
the  church,  the  Sunday  School,  the  prayer  meeting  or  the 
family : 

''Fairest  Lord  Jesus,  Ruler  of  all  nations,"  Crusaders' 
hymn ;  Old  German  Melody. 

'Tight  the  good  fight  with  all  thy  might,"  J.  S.  B.  MoN- 
SELL.    Tune  by  Wm.  Boyd. 

'Tor  all  the  saints,  who  from  their  labors  rest,"  Bishop 
How.   Tune  by  Barnby. 


Christian  Hymnology.  131 

''God  be  with  you  'till  we  meet  again,"  Jeremiah  E. 
Rankin.    Tune  by  W.  G.  Tomer. 

'T  have  a  Saviour,  He's  pleading  in  glory,"  Samuel  O.  M. 
Cluft.    Tune  by  Ira  D.  Sankey. 

"1  lift  my  heart  to  Thee,"  Charles  E.  Mudie.  Tune  by 
Thos.  M.  Mudie. 

'Tt  may  not  be  on  the  mountain's  heights,"  Mary  Brown. 
Tune  by  Carrie  E.  Rounsefell. 

'Tn  the  fields  with  their  flocks  abiding,"  F.  W.  Farrar. 
Tune  by  J.  Farmer. 

"Jesus,  I  am  resting,  resting,"  Jean  S.  Piggott.  Tune  by 
Rev.  J.  Mountain. 

"Like  a  river  glorious,"  Frances  R.  Havergal.  Tune  by 
Rev.  J.  Mountain. 

"My  days  w^ith  sunshine  shall  be  fraught,"  Mrs.  F.  A. 
Breck.    Tune  by  G.  C.  Tullar. 

"Saviour,  breathe  an  evening  blessing,"  James  Edmeston. 
Tune  by  Geo.  C.  Stebbins. 

"Sing  them  over  again  to  me,"  Philip  P.  Bliss.  Tune  by 
same. 

"Stand  up,  stand  up  for  Jesus,"  Rev.  Geo.  Duffield. 
Tune  by  Geo.  J.  Webb. 

"Sweetly  the  holy  hymn,"  Rev.  C.  H.  Spurgeon.  Tune 
by  Jos.  E.  Sweetser. 

"Weary  of  earth,  and  laden  with  my  sin,"  Samuel  J. 
Stone.    Tune  by  James  Langran. 

"We  would  see  Jesus,"  E.  Ellis.  Tune,  Visio  Domini, 
Dykes. 

"Lord  Jesus,  I  long  to  be  perfectly  whole,"  Jas.  Nichol- 
son.   Tune  bv  W.  G.  Fischer. 

"Sweet  hour  of  prayer,"  W.  W.  Walford.    Tune,  Wal- 

ford. 

"Must  Jesus  bear  the  Cross  alone?"  Thos.  Shepherd. 
Tune,  Cross  and  Crown,  by  G.  N.  Allen. 

"Jesus,  I  my  Cross  have  taken,"  H.  F.  Lyte,  1824.  Tune, 
CruciHx,  by  H.  Smart. 


132 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


''Saviour,  when  in  dust  to  Thee/'  Sir  Robert  Grant,  1815. 
Tune,  Blumenthal. 

"  Tis  midnight,  and  on  OHve's  brow,"  W.  B.  Tappan, 
1822.    Tune,  Olive's  Brow,  by  Bradbury. 

Tunes  other  than  those  indicated  for  the  above  twenty- 
four  hymns  will  be  found  in  various  books.  I  have  mentioned 
those  I  consider  best. 

It  is  because  of  the  limitations  imposed  by  my  chief  sub- 
ject, our  old  and  new  hymns,  that  I  have  not  given  merited 
attention  to  the  composers  of  their  musical  settings,  to  whom 
we  are  under  everlasting  obligations.  But  for  them,  it  is  prob- 
able that  many  of  our  cherished  hymns  would  have  gotten  away 
from  us.  Certain  of  them  have  so  endeared  themselves  to  us 
as  to  entitle  them  to  memorial  tablets  in  our  churches,  along 
with  the  names  of  consecrated  poets  and  preachers. 

.  No  disparagement  of  any  is  implied  if  I  name  as  examples : 
Mendelssohn,  Gounod,  Brahms,  Zeuner,  Horsley,  Spohr, 
Haydn,  Warren,  Dykes,  Barnby,  Sullivan,  Danks,  Mason, 
Monk,  Root,  Perkins,  Reinecke,  Batchellor,  Matthews,  ^^^illis, 
Stainer,  Smart,  Maker,  Doane,  Bradbury,  Elvey,  Sankey,  Hast- 
ings, Gilbert,  Woodbury,  Ritter,  Bliss,  Lowe,  BuUinger,  Gaunt- 
lett,  Fischer,  Lowry,  Geibel,  Hopkins,  Gilmour,  Gabriel,  Sher- 
win,  Towner,  Holbrook,  Calkin,  Thompson,  Allen,  Holden, 
Main,  Converse  and  McGranahan. 

I  have  spoken  of  many  hymns  as  connected  inseparably 
with  their  own  wedded  tune,  cases  in  which  it  has  seemed  to  me 
that  hymn  and  tune,  spiritually  united,  have  claimed  and  cap- 
tured our  enduring  love.  Of  all  such  I  say  let  them  stand  as 
life  companions.  Whenever  the  fitness  and  happiness  of  such 
a  union  is  assured  we  are  bound  to  say,  ''What  God  hath  joined 
together  let  no  man  put  asunder.'' 

God  has  taken  nearly  all  of  these  good  men  and  women 
hymnists  from  earth,  to  join  theirs  with  the  ever-singing  angel 
voices  round  the  throne  of  light;  yet  He  has  not  left  us  com- 


Christian  Hyaixology. 


133 


fortless.  After  Dr.  Watts  and  the  Wesleys  were  translated, 
God  sent  His  Spirit  to  others.  The  mantle  of  Elijah  fell  upon 
Elisha.  In  these  latter  days  of  grace  and  knowledge,  ever 
increasing  in  fulfilment  of  Daniel's  prophecy,  others  have  been 
raised  up  to  admonish  sinners  and  comfort  saints  with  poetic 
melodies  sweet  as  ear  ever  heard,  hymns  that  go  to  our  hearts, 
and  then  go  out  to  help  and  gladden  others.  I  will  mention  but 
a  few  as  examples,  and  if  I  quote  only  a  single  verse  of  each 
hymn,  the  rest  will  spring  up  in  our  minds,  and  their  own  tunes 
with  them. 

In  the  selections  I  have  named  but  a  few  among  the  many 
that  we  may  call  our  choice.  There  are  hundreds  more,  written 
by  these  authors  and  other  hundreds  by  unnamed  hymners,  of 
which  many  may  say,  "They  are  just  as  good"  and  worthy  of 
long  life.  Altogether,  they  may  be  regarded  as  a  treasury 
abundant  for  all  twentieth  century  requirements,  but  they  have 
alw^ays  been  coming,  and  they  will  always  come. 

''The  harvest  is  the  end  of  the  zvorld/'   Matthew  13  :  39. 

I  quote  here  a  fine  new  one  appearing  in  the  1911  Presby- 
terian Hymnal: 

THE  HYMN  TO  JOY. 

Joyful,  joyful,  we  adore  Thee  Thou  art  giving  and  forgiving, 

God  of  glory,  Lord  of  love;  Ever  blessing,  ever  blest, 

Hearts    unfold    like    flowers   before  Well-spring  of  the  joy  of  living, 
Thee,  Ocean-depth  of  happy  rest! 

Opening  to  the  sun  above.  Thou  our  Father,  Christ  our  Brother, 
Melt  the  clouds  of  sin  and  sadness.  All  who  live  in  love  are  Thine; 

Drive  the  dark  of  sin  away;  Teach  us  how  to  love  each  other, 
Giver  of  immortal  gladness,  Lift  us  to  the  Joy  Divine. 

Fill  us  with  the  light  of  day. 

All  Thy  works  with  joy  surround  Mortals,  join  the  mighty  chorus 

Thee,  Which  the  morning  stars  began; 

Earth  and  heaven  reflect  Thy  rays  Father-love  is  reigning  o'er  us, 

Stars  and  angels  sing  around  Thee,  Brother-love  binds  man  to  man. 

Centre  of  unbroken  praise.  Ever  singing,  march  we  onward, 

Field  and  forest,  vale  and  mountain,  Victors  in  the  midst  of  strife, 

Flowery  meadow,  flashing  sea,  Joyful  music  leads  us  sunward, 

Chanting  bird  and  flowing  fountain,  In  the  triumph  song  of  life. 

Call  us  to  rejoice  in  Thee.  Rev.  Henry  Van  Dyke,  1907. 
Tune,  arr.  from  Beethoven. 


Chapter  X. 


HYMNS  OF  PATRIOTISM. 

Of  our  so-called  national  hymns,  the  best  known  and 
most  popular  is  "My  country,  'tis  of  thee,''  written  by  Rev. 
Samuel  Francis  Smith,  D.D.,  a  Baptist  minister,  1832.  Its 
only  tune,  America,  as  we  have  named  it,  we  have  inherited 
from  the  eighteenth  century. 

Dr.  Henry  V an  Dyke  has  written  two  additional  verses,  so 
that,  as  thus  enlarged,  it  reads : 


My  country,  'tis  of  thee 
Sweet  land  of  liberty, 

Of  thee  I  sing; 
Land  where  my  fathers  died 
Land  of  the  Pilgrims'  pride, 
From  every  mountain  side. 

Let  freedom  ring. 


Thy  silver  Eastern  strands, 
Thy  Golden  Gate  that  stands, 

Fronting  the  West; 
Thy  flowery  Southland  fair. 
Thy  sweet  and  crystal  air,— 
O  land  beyond  compare, 

Thee  I  love  best. 


My  native  country  thee. 
Land  of  the  noble,  free. 

Thy  name  I  love; 
I  love  thy  rocks  and  rills, 
Thy  woods  and  templed  hills ; 
My  heart  with  rapture  thrills, 

Like  that  above. 


Let  music  swell  the  breeze, 
And  ring  from  all  the  trees, 

Sweet  freedom's  song; 
Let  mortal  tongues  awake; 
Let  all  that  breathe  partake; 
Let  rocks  their  silence  break, 

The  sound  prolong. 


I  love  thine  inland  seas, 
Thy  groves  of  giant  trees, 

Thy  rolling  plains; 
Thy  rivers'  mighty  sweep. 
Thy  mystic  canyons  deep. 
Thy  mountains  wild  and  steep. 

All  thy  domains. 


Our  fathers'  God,  to  Thee, 
Author  of  liberty. 

To  Thee  we  sing; 
Long  may  our  land  be  bright, 
With  freedom's  holy  light; 
Protect  us  by  Thy  might, 

Great  God  our  King. 


This  hymn  was  first  sung  at  a  children's  Fourth  of  July 
celebration  in  Boston,  and  in  their  primary  classes  it  was  called 
into  frequent  service,  the  New  England  idea  being  that  Patriot- 
ism is  next  to  Godliness. 

(134) 


Christian  Hymnology. 


135 


The  Boston  Courier,  of  September,  1885,  printed  these 
anonymous  verses  bearing  on  this  phase  of  the  subject: 


Again  each  morning  as  we  pass 
The  city's  streets  along, 

We  hear  the  voices  of  the  class 
Ring  out  the  nation's  song. 


Their  little  hearts  aglow  with  pride, 

Each  with  exultant  tongue 
Proclaims,    'Trom   every  mountain- 
side 

Let  Freedom's  song  be  sung." 


The  small  boys'  treble  piping  clear. 
The  bigger  boys'  low  growl, 

And  from  the  boy  who  has  no  ear 
A  weird,  discordant  howl. 


Let  him  who'd  criticise  the  time, 

Or  scout  the  harmony, 
Betake  him  to  some  other  clime — 

No  patriot  is  he  ! 


With  swelling  hearts  we  hear  them     From  scenes  like  these  our  grandeur 


smg 

'My  country,  'tis  of  thee" 


sprmgs. 
And  we  shall  e'er  be  strong, 


From    childish   throats    the    anthem     While  o'er  the  land  the  schoolhouse 


ring, 

"Sweet  land  of  liberty!" 


rmgs 

Each  day  with  Freedom's  song. 


Next  in  order  of  our  own  national  hvmns  of  same  metre, 
and  usually  sung  to  tune  America,  is  in  two  verses,  trans- 
lated from  an  old  author : 


God  bless  our  native  land ! 
Firm  may  she  ever  stand. 

Thro'  storm  and  night: 
When  the  wild  tempests  rave, 
Ruler  of  wind  and  wave, 
Do  Thou  our  country  save 

By  Thy  great  might. 


For  her  our  prayers  shall  rise 
To  God  above  the  skies; 

On  Him  we  wait: 
Thou  who  art  ever  nigh. 
Guarding  with  watchful  eye, 
To  Thee  aloud  we  cry, 

God  save  the  State. 


The  authorship  of  these  verses  is  attributed  to  Rev. 
Charles  T.  Brooks  and  Rev.  John  L.  Dwight.  In  the  time 
of  general  anxiety  and  depression  caused  by  our  country's 
war  with  Spain,  in  1898,  it  came  upon  me  to  write  an 
addenda  of  two  verses  to  this  hymn.  The  thought  occurred 
to  me  that  in  none  of  our  national  hymns  has  the  world's 
Saviour  been  even  named,  and  that  it  ought  to  be,  at  least  when 


136 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


these  hymns  are  employed  in  our  church  services.  Hence  the 
following  were  written : 


God  give  our  President, 
Congress  and  Cabinet 

Light  from  above, 
To  do  Thy  holy  will, 
Thy  counsel  to  fulfil; 
Oh  make  all  hearts  to  thrill 

With  heavenly  love. 


Come,  Jesus,  Prince  of  Peace, 
Reign  now  and  never  cease 

Us  to  defend. 
Let  all  men  everywhere. 
Our  glorious  freedom  share. 
Grant,  Father,  this  our  prayer 

World  without  end.  Amen. 


OUR  FREE  AND  HAPPY  LAND. 


God  of  nations.  King  of  kings, 
Head  of  all  created  things, 
Pleading  at  Thy  throne  we  stand ; 
Save  Thy  people,  bless  our  land. 

On  our  fields  of  grass  and  grain 
Drop,  O  Lord,  the  kindly  rain; 
O'er  our  wide  and  goodly  land 
Crown  the  labors  of  each  hand. 


Let  Thy  kind  protection  be 
O'er  our  commerce  on  the  sea; 
Open,  Lord,  Thy  bounteous  hand, 
Bless  Thy  people,  bless  our  land. 

Let  our  rulers  ever  be 
Men  that  love  and  honor  Thee; 
Let  the  powers  by  Thee  ordained 
Be  in  righteousness  maintained. 


In  the  people's  hearts  increase 
Love  of  piety  and  peace; 
Thus  united  we  shall  stand 
One  wide,  free,  and  happy  land. 

Rev.  Henry  Harbaugh. 


In  the  same  troublous  days,  the  following  hymn,  ''Heavenly 
Father,  God  of  Nations,"  was  written  with  the  purpose  of  sing- 
ing it  in  our  Sunday  School  to  tune  Austria.  It  was  also 
used  at  a  banquet  of  the  Presbyterian  Social  Union  and  by 
many  Sunday  Schools  throughout  the  country. 

In  1903  William  G.  Fischer  composed  for  it  the  tune 
Invocation,  for  the  book — "Our  Hymns,"  compiled  by  Rev. 
Dr.  Russell  H.  Conwell,  Dr.  David  D.  Wood  and  others. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


137 


Heayenly  Fiither,  God  of  Nations. 

invocation. 


Francis  B.  Reeves. 


=1: 


— » 


Wm.  G.  Fischer. 

!  Fn,  I 


r  -     -  — ^'-1  I 

1.  Heav-'nly  Fa-ther,God  of    na  -  tions, Thou  hast  bless'd  our  na  -  tive  land, 

2.  Fa- ther,  haste  the  day     of  prom  -  ise,  When,  in   all     the  world  a  -  round 

3.  Light  the  torch  of  truth    and  free-dom  O'er  the  na  -  tions  near  and  far; 

1       I  ' 
• — «- — -J — i — *   tt-^k^ — i — m  ^-k0  (Z— 

 f — I  —I  4«  1  1  - 


-I  4^- 


1=t 


 -r-H  r 

J  ^ 

 1  '#  1- 

 «  1  #- 

 #  #  #- 

-0 — ^0 

-#  1 — 

-# — # — 

1 

# — « 

f 


i 


Show'ring  fa  vors  with  -  out  meas-ure  From  Thy  ev  -  er     gra-cious  hand. 
Wars  shall  cease;  ye  an  -  gels  hear-ken!  Hear   the   gos  -  pel  trura- pet  sound ! 
Bid   the  world's  be-la  -  ted  rul  -  ers  Now    pre  -  pare  for     Zi  -  on's  war. 


Oft    be -side  the 
Wake  the  ech  -  o, 
Glo  -  ry    be  to 


qui  -  et    wa-ters  Thou  hast  led    us;  still  lead  on; 
Christian  na-tionsi  "Peace  on  earth,"  your  watchword  be, 
God  the  Fa- ther,  With  the  Spir  -  it     and  the   Son  ; 

-# — ^ — I  


till 


u 


I  I 

! 

Shield  when  dark'ning  tempests  threaten, Guard  ui  'till  the  storm  has  gone. 
'Till  Love's  banner,  all  vie  -  to- rious.  Floats  o'er  ev- 'ry  land  and  sea. 
Bless  -  ing,  hon  -  or,  glo  -  ry,  pow  -  er.     To     our  God  great  Three  in  One. 


e 


Copyright,  1901,  by  "Wm.  G.  Fischer. 


138 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


THE  STAR-SPANGLED  BANNER. 

While  we  can  hardly  consider  this  song  suitable  for  Church 
services,  it  is  worthy  of  mention  as  one  of  our  National  songs. 
Its  authorship  is  uncertain.  Its  tune  is  the  composition  of  Fran- 
cis Scott  Key.  Of  its  four  stanzas,  the  last  is  the  only  one 
containing  a  religious  sentiment.   This  last  verse  is  as  follows : 

Oh,  thus  be  it  ever  when  freemen  shall  stand 

Between  their  loved  homes  and  the  war's  desolation; 
Blest  with  victory  and  peace,  may  the  heav'n  rescued  land. 

Praise  the  Pow'r  that  hath  made  and  preserved  us  a  nation ; 
Then  conquer  we  must,  when  our  cause  it  is  just, 

And  this  be  our  motto ;  "In  God  is  our  trust." 
And  the  star-spangled  banner  in  triumph  shall  wave 

O'er  the  land  of  the  free  and  the  home  of  the  brave. 


GOD'S  ETERNAL  GUIDANCE. 


O  God,  beneath  Thy  guiding  hand 
Our  exiled  fathers  crossed  the  sea; 

And  when  they  trod  the  wintry  strand, 
With  prayer  and  psalm  they  wor- 
shipped Thee. 


Laws,  freedom,  truth,  and  faith  in  God 
Came   with  those  exiles  o'er  the 
waves ; 

And,  where  their  pilgrim  feet  have 
trod. 

The  God  they  trusted  guards  their 
graves. 


Thou  heard'st,  well  pleased,  the  song, 
the  prayer : 
Thy  blessing  came;   and   still  its 
power 

Shall  onward,  through  all  ages,  bear 
The  memory  of  that  holy  hour. 


And  here  Thy  name,  O  God  of  love, 
Their     children's     children  shall 
adore. 

Till  these  eternal  hills  remove, 
And  spring  adorns  the  earth  no 
more. 

Rev.  Leonard  Bacon,  1833 


GREAT  KING  OF  NATIONS,  HEAR  OUR  PRAYER 

Great    King    of    nations,    hear  01 
prayer. 

While  at  Thy  feet  we  fall. 
And  humbly,  with  united  cry. 
To  Thee  for  mercy  call. 


The  guilt  is  ours,  but  grace  is  Thine, 

O  turn  us  not  away; 
But  hear  us  from  Thy  lofty  throne, 
And  help  us  when  we  pray. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


139 


Our  fathers'  sins  were  manifold, 
And  ours  no  less  we  own, 

Yet  wondrously  from  age  to  age 
Thy  goodness  hath  been  shown. 

When  dangers,  like  a  stormy  sea. 

Beset  our  country  round, 
To  Thee  we  looked,  to  Thee  we  cried, 

And  help  in  Thee  was  found. 


With  one  consent  we  meekly  bow 
Beneath  Thy  chastening  hand, 

And,  pouring  forth  confession  meet, 
Mourn  with  our  mourning  land. 

With  pitying  eye  behold  our  need, 
As  thus  we  lift  our  prayer; 

Correct  us  with  Thy  judgments.  Lord, 
Then  let  Thy  mercy  spare. 

Rev.  John  H.  Gurney,  1838. 


PRAISE  TO  GOD  FOR  PEACE. 

Lord  God,  we  worship  Thee !  Lord  God,  we  worship  Thee ! 

In  loud  and  happy  chorus  For  Thou  our  land  defendest; 

We  praise  Thy  love  and  power,  Thou  pourest  down  Thy  grace. 

Whose  goodness  reigneth  o'er  us,  And  strife  and  war  Thou  endest. 

To  heav'n  our  song  shall  soar.  Since  golden  peace,  O  Lord, 

Forever  shall  it  be  Thou  grantest  us  to  see, 

Resounding  o'er  and  o'er,  Our  land  with  one  accord. 

Lord  God,  we  worship  Thee !  Lord  God,  gives  thanks  to  Thee ! 

Lord  God,  we  worship  Thee ! 

Thou  didst  indeed  chastise  us. 
Yet  still  Thy  anger  spares. 

And  still  Thy  mercy  tries  us ; 
Once  more  our  Father's  hand 

Doth  bid  our  sorrows  flee. 
And  peace  rejoice  our  land; 

Lord  God,  we  worship  Thee ! 
Tune^  Nun  Danket.  J.  Franck:  Translated  by  Catherine  Winkzaorth. 


O  God  of  love,  O  King  of  peace. 
Make  wars  throughout  the  world 
to  cease; 
The  wrath  of  sinful  man  restrain ; 
Give   peace,   O   God,   give  peace 
aeain. 


PRAYER  FOR  PEACE. 

Whom  shall 


we  trust  but  Thee,  O 
Lord, 

Where   rest  but  on  Thy  faithful 
word ; 

None  ever  called  on  Thee  in  vain; 
Give   peace,   O   God,   give  peace 
again. 


Remember,  Lord,  Thy  works  of  old. 
The  wonders  that  our  fathers  told; 

Remember  not  our  sin's  dark  stain; 
Give  peace,   O    God,   give  peace 
again. 


Where  saints  and  angels  dwell  above 
All  hearts  are  knit  in  holy  love; 

O  bind  us  in  that  heavenly  chain; 
Give   peace,   O    God,   give  peace 
again. 

Rev.  Sir  Henry  W.  Baker,  1861. 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


BATTLE  HYMN  OF  THE  REPUBLIC. 

Mine  eyes  have  seen  the  glory  of  the  coming  of  the  Lord ; 
He  is  trampling  out  the  vintage  where  the  grapes  of  wrath  are  stored, 
He  hath  loosed  the  fateful  lightning  of  his  terrible  swift  sword, 
His   truth   is   marching  on ! 

I  have  seen  him  in  the  watch  fires  of  a  hundred  circling  camps ; 
They  have  builded  him  an  altar  in  the  evening  dews  and  damps ; 
I  can  read  his  righteous  sentence  by  the  dim  and  flaring  lamps; 
His  day  is  marching  on ! 

I  have  read  a  fiery  gospel  writ  in  burnished  rows  of  steel: 
"As  ye  deal  with  my  contemners,  so  with  you  my  grace  shall  deal ;" 
Let  the  hero  born  of  woman  crush  the  serpent  with  his  heel, — 
Since  God  is  marching  on ! 

He  has  sounded  forth  the  trumpet  that  shall  never  call  retreat; 
He  is  sifting  out  the  hearts  of  men  before  his  judgment  seat; 
Oh,  be  swift,  my  soul,  to  answer  him,  be  jubilant  my  feet ! 
Our  God  is  marching  on ! 

In  the  beauties  of  the  lilies,  Christ  was  born  across  the  sea. 
With  a  glory  in  his  bosom  that  transfigures  you  and  me; 
As  he  died  to  make  men  holy,  let  us  die  to  make  men  free, 
While  God  is  marching  on ! 

Julia  Ward  Hozce. 


PRAYER  FOR  HELP  IN  WAR. 


O  Lord  of  Hosts,  Almighty  King, 
Behold  the  sacrifice  we  bring; 
To  every  arm  Thy  strength  impart; 
Thy  Spirit  shed  through  every  heart. 

Wake  in  our  breasts  the  living  fires; 
The  holy  faith  that  warmed  our  sires : 
Thy  hand  hath  made  our  nation  free ; 
To  die  for  her  is  serving  Thee. 


Be  Thou  a  pillared  flame  to  show 
The  midnight  snare,  the  silent  foe; 
And  when  the  battle  thunders  loud, 
Still  guide  us  in  its  moving  cloud. 

God  of  all  nations,  Sovereign  Lord, 
In  Thy  dread  name  we  draw  the 
sword, 

We  lift  the  starry  flag  on  high. 
That  fills  with  light  our  stormy  sky. 


From  treason's  rent,  from  murder's  stain, 
Guard  Thou  its  folds  till  peace  shall  reign, 
Till  fort  and  field,  till  shore  and  sea, 
Join  our  loud  anthem, — Praise  to  Thee. 

Oliver  Wendell  Holmes,  1861. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


GOD  THE  ALL-MERCIFUL. 

God  the  all-merciful !  earth  hath  forsaken 

Thy  ways  of  blessedness,  slighted  Thy  word; 

Bid  not  Thy  wrath  in  its  terrors  awaken; 
Give  to  us  peace  in  our  time,  O  Lord. 

God  the  all-righteous  One !  man  hath  defied  Thee ; 

Yet  to  eternity  standeth  Thy  word; 
Falsehood  and  wrong  shall  not  tarry  beside  Thee; 

Give  to  us  peace  in  our  time,  O  Lord. 

God  the  all-wise !  by  the  fire  of  Thy  chast'ning 
Earth  shall  to  freedom  and  truth  be  restored; 

Through  the  thick  darkness  Thy  Kingdom  is  hastening; 
Thou  wilt  give  peace  in  Thy  time,  O  Lord. 

So  will  Thy  people  with  thankful  devotion, 
Praise  Him  who  saved  them  from  peril  and  sword. 

Shouting  in  chorus  from  ocean  to  ocean, 

Peace  to  the  nations,  and  praise  to  the  Lord. 

H.  F.  Chorley,  1842. 

NATIONAL  HYMN. 

God  of  our  fathers,  whose  almighty  hand 

Leads  forth  in  beauty  all  the  starry  band 
Of  shining  worlds  in  splendor  through  the  skies. 

Our  grateful  songs  before  Thy  throne  arise. 

Thy  love  Divine  hath  led  us  in  the  past; 

In  this  free  land  by  Thee  our  lot  is  cast; 
Be  Thou  our  Ruler,  Guardian,  Guide  and  Stay; 

Thy  word  our  law.  Thy  paths  our  chosen  way. 

From  war's  alarms,  from  deadly  pestilence. 
Be  Thy  strong  arm  our  ever  sure  defence; 

Thy  true  rehgion  in  our  hearts  increase. 

Thy  bounteous  goodness  nourish  us  in  peace. 

Refresh  Thy  people  on  their  toilsome  way. 
Lead  us  from  night  to  never-ending  day; 
Fill  all  our  lives  with  love  and  grace  divine, 
And  glory,  laud,  and  praise  be  ever  Thine. 

Rev.  Daniel  C.  Roberts,  1876. 
Time,  National  Hymn,  George  William  Warren,  1892. 


142 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


PRAYER  FOR  DEFENXE. 

From  hands  that  would  our  land  deflower. 
From  selfish  greed  and  grasping  power. 

From  wilful  waste  of  freedom's  dower, 
From  pleasure's  flooding  wave ; 

From  all  unrest  by  envy  bred, 

From  all  assaults  by  passion  led, 
From  anarchy  with  banners  red. 

Good  Lord,  defend  and  save. 

Let  power  and  justice  side  by  side 

Bring  civil  peace  and  civic  pride; 
Still  miay  the  ancient  order  bide 

Of  law  and  liberty. 

Keep  firm  the  bond  of  brotherhood. 
Keep  green  the  memory  of  the  good, 

Defend  the  ramparts,  where  they  stood. 
With,  men  who  trust  in  Thee. 

Rez\  Louis  F.  Benson.  1910. 


IXTERXATIOXAL  HYMX. 


Two  empires  by  the  sea. 
Two  nations  great  and  free, 

One  anthem  raise. 
One  race  of  ancient  fame. 
One  tongue,  one  faith  we  claim. 
One  God  whose  glorious  name 

W'e  love  and  praise. 


Vrhat  deeds  our  fathers  wrought, 
\Miat  battles  we  have  fought, 

Let  fame  record. 
X'ow.  vengeful  passion,  cease. 
Come  victories  of  peace  ; 
X'or  hate,  nor  pride's  caprice 

L'nsheathe  the  sword. 


X'ow,  may  our  God  above 
Guard  the  dear  lands  we  love; 

Or  East  or  West; 
Let  love  more  fervent  glow 
As  peaceful  ages  go. 
And  strength  yet  stronger  grow, 

Blessing  and  blest. 

Prof.  George  Huntington. 


GOD  OF  OUR  FATHERS. 


God  of  our  fathers,  known  of  old — 
Lord  of  our  far-flung  battle  line — 

Beneath  whose  awful  hand  we  hold 
Dominion  over  palm  and  pine — 

Lord  God  of  Hosts,  be  with  us  yet. 

Lest  we  forget — lest  we  forget! 


The  tumult  and  the  shouting  dies — 
The  captains  and  the  kings  depart, 

Still  stands  Thine  ancient  sacrifice. 
An  humble  and  contrite  heart 

Lord  God  of  Hosts,  be  with  us  yet, 

Lest  we  forget — lest  we  forget! 


Christian  Hymnology. 


143 


Far-called,  our  navies  melt  away — 
On  dune  and  headland  sinks  the  fire, 

Lo,  all  our  pomp  of  yesterday- 
Is  one  with  Nineveh  and  Tyre ! 

Judge  of  the  Nations,  spare  us  yet, 

Lest  we  forget — lest  we  forget ! 


If,  drunk  with  sight  of  power,  we  loose 
Wild  tongues  that  have  not  Thee  in 
awe, 

Such  boasting  as  the  Gentiles  use, 

Or  lesser  breeds  without  the  law — 
Lord  God  of  Hosts,  be  with  us  yet. 
Lest  we  forget — lest  we  forget ! 


For  heathen  hearts  that  put  their  trust 

In  reeking  tube  and  iron  shard — 
All  valiant  dust  that  builds  on  dust. 

And  guarding  calls  not  Thee  to  guard — 
For  frantic  boast  and  foolish  word, 
Thy  Mercy  on  Thy  People,  Lord !  Amen. 

Rudyard  Kipling. 


Chapter  XL 


HYMNS  FOR  THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL. 


No  less  evidential  of  the  upward  trend  of  our  hymnology 
is  the  great  change  characterizing  ihe  hymns  for  Sunday 
Schools,  which,  a  century  ago,  were  regarded  as  schools  for 
poor  little  children  only,  no  one  imagining  then  that  the  Sunday 
School  would  ever  embrace,  as  now,  a  large  percentage  of  adult 
scholars. 

In  ''The  Maryland  Sunday  School  Singing  Book,"  pub- 
lished 1812,  are  the  following: 

SABBATH  SCHOOL  HYMN. 


■|  '  


1.  Where  do  cliil- dren  love    to  go;   When   the  win  -  t'ry    tem-pests  blow, 

2.  Where  do  chil-  dren  love    to  be,    When   the  sum  -  mer  birds  we  see, 
8.  When  the  Sab- bath  morn- ing  breaks,  Ev  -  'ry  eye  from  slum- ber  wakes, 

Boys.  ^ 


i 


What      is       it      at  -  tracts  them     so  ? 
Warb  -  ling  praise  on      ev  -  'ry  tree? 
What     so     hap  -  py,    chil  -  dren  makes  ? 


'Tis    the    Sab  -  bath  School. 
In     the    Sab  -  bath  School. 
'Tis    the    Sab  -  bath  School. 


9 


4  Where  do  pious  teachers  stay, 
From  their  peaceful  homes  away, 
On  ths  precious  Sabbath  day  ? 
In  the  Sabbath  School. 


5  Where  are  we  so  kindly  taught, 
God  should  rule  in  every  thought. 
What  the  blood  of  Christ  has  bought  ? 
In  the  Sabbath  School. 


6  May  we  ever  love  this  day, 
May  we  learn  Salvation's  way; 
Love  to  read,  and  sing,  and  pray, 
In  the  Sabbath  School. 

From  "Maryland  Sunday  School  Singing  Book." 
(144) 


Christian  Hymnology. 


145 


SINGING  SCHOOL. 


— 

— • 

 « — *r-*— ^— 

1.  O    what     a     love  -  ly    thing         It       is      to     learn    to  sing; 

2.  My  heart  doth  here    as  -  pire       With    ar  -  dent,  warm  de  -  sire, 

3.  My    soul   with-  in      doth  burn,      While    I     true    vir  -  tue  learn, 


And      chant  our    Sav  -  iour's  praise;      Our  sweet    en  -  joy  -  ment  here, 
To       be       like  saints    a  -  hove;      Where    ev  -  'ry     heart  and  voice, 
And      ten  -  der   feel  -  ings  gain;       Then  what     a      love  -  ly  tiling, 


Makes  ev  -  'ry  mo  -  ment  dear.  While  learn  -  ing  these  sweet  lays. 
In  sweet -est  songs  re  -  joice,  And  praise  a  Sav  -  iour's  love. 
It      is      to    learn    to       sing,     Where  love    and  friendship  reign. 


EVENING  BOAT. 


i 

-«      .  -^ 

1.  By     the  moon    so])right-]y  shin  -  ing  O'er    tlie  calm    un-ruf-fled  tide: 

2.  While  our  lit  -  tie  t)oat     a   rang  -  er,  Through  the  mead-ows glides  a-  long, 

3.  Vain   is     all    that  gold   can    of  -  fer,Vain  the  seep  -  tre  and   the  crown; 


— ,  ^- 


 si — 


On  its  l)os  -  om  soft  re-clin-iug,  Gent  -  ly  up  and  down  we  ride. 
Free  from  fear  and  free  from  dang -er,  Sing  we  now  our  lit  -  tie  soug. 
False  the  hap  -  pi  -  ness  they  prof  -  fer.  Fleet- ing    all    the  joys  they  own. 


Lit  -  tie  boat  thou  mov  -  est    on  -  vs^ard  With  -  out  sail    and  with  -  out  mast, 
0-cean's  grandeur,    o  -  cean's  treas- ure,     O  -  cean's  beau  -  ty  charm  us  not 
With  our  hum-ble    lot     con-tent  -  ed.   This     is    all     the  boon    vre  crave: 


iiil 


Lit  -  tie  stream  that  flow  -  est  down-ward,  Bear  -  ing    us  up  -  on    thy  breast. 

We     are  tast  -  ing  sweet  -  er  plea  -  sure, Float  -  ing    on  this  lit  -  tie  spot. 
When  life's  voy  -  age  shall    be    end  -  ed,  Peace  -  ful  rest    be-yond  the  grave. 
From  "Maryland  Sunday  School  Siuginaj  Book." 


146 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


AWAY  TO  SCHOOL, 


i 

1.  Our  youth -ful  hearts  for    learn  -  ins;  burn,    A  -  way,     a -"way,     to  school; 

2.  Be  -  hold !     a     hap  -  py   band     ap  -  pears,    A  -  way,     a  -  way,     to  school ; 

3.  No    more    we    walk,  no    more    we    play.    A  -  way,     a  -  way,     to  school; 


To  sci  -  ence  now  our  steps  we  tuin,  A -way,  a  -  way,  to  school: 
The  shout  of  joy  now  fills  our  ears,  A -way,  a  -  way,  I0  school: 
In     stu  -  dy    now    we    spend  the    day,      A  -  way,      a  -  way,      to  school: 


 «_ 

It 

1 — ^_ 

C5  

Fare  -  well     toliome,  and   all    itscharms,  We  break  from  love's  pa  -  ter  -  nal  arms, 
The    voic  -  es  rinji,  the  hands  they  wave.  Each  lieavt  rebounds  with  vio;  -  on r  brave, 
U  -   nit  -  ed    in       a   ]>eace  ful  band.  We're  join'd  in  heart  and  join'd  in  hand. 


A  -  way     to  school,  a  -  way     fr)   school.     A  -  way.      a -way      to  schooL 
From  "Marvlano  Sunc^ii^  School  Singing  Book." 


THE  GERMAN  AVATCHMAN'S  SONG. 

(Amongst  the  watchmen  in  Germany,  a  singular  custom 
prevails,  of  chanting  devotional  hymns,  as  well  as  songs  of  a 
national  or  amusing  character,  during  the  night.  Of  the  for- 
mer description  of  pieces,  the  following  is  a  specimen,  the 
several  stanzas  being  chanted  as  the  hours  of  the  night  are  suc- 
cessively announced. ) 


Hark !   ye  neighbors,  and  hear  me 
tell. 

Ten  now  strikes  on  the  belfry  bell ! 
Ten  are  the  holy  commandments  giv'n 
To  man  below  from  God  in  Heav'n. 


Chorus. 

Human  watch  from  harm  can't  ward 
us, 

God  will  watch  and  God  will  guard 
us; 

He  through  His  eternal  might, 
Grant  us  all  a  blessed  night. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


147 


Hark !  ye  neighbors,  and  hear  me 
tell. 

Eleven   now   sounds   on   the  belfry 
bell! 

Eleven  apostles  of  holy  mind, 
Taught  the  Gospel  to  mankind. 
Human  watch,  etc. 

Hark !   ye  neighbors,  and  hear  me 
tell 

Twelve  resounds  from  the  belfry  bell ! 
Twelve  disciples  to  Jesus  came. 
Who    suffer'd    for    their  Saviour's 
name. 

Human  watch,  etc. 


Hark !   ye  neighbors,   and  hear  me 
tell. 

One  has  pealed  on  the  belfry  bell ! 
One  God  above,  one  Lord  indeed, 
Who  bears  us  forth  in  hour  of  need. 
Human  watch,  etc. 

Hark !   ye   neighbors,   and  hear  me 
tell. 

Two  resounds  from  the  belfry  bell ! 
Two  paths  before  mankind  are  free, 
Neighbor  choose  the  best  for  thee. 
Human  watch,  etc. 


Hark !  ye  neighbors,  and  hear  me  tell, 
Three  now  sounds  on  the  belfry  bell ! 
Threefold  reigns  the  heavenly  Host, 
Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost ! 
Human  watch,  etc. 


The  three  hymns  next  quoted  are  from  John  Dobell's  book, 
1806,  all  headed: 


SUNDAY  SCHOOL. 


First. 

Congregation. 
Great  God,  accept  our  songs  of  praise, 
Which  we  would  to  Thy  honor  raise; 
Bless  our  attempts  to  spread  abroad 
The  knowledge  of  our  Saviour  God. 


Children. 
Next  to  our  God,  our  thanks  are  due 
To  those  who  did  compassion  shew; 
In  kindly  pointing  out  the  road, 
That  leads  to  Christ,  the  way  to  God. 

Congregation. 
We  claim  no  merit  of  our  own ; 
Great    God,    the    work    was  Thine 
alone ! 

Thou  didst  at  first  our  hearts  incline, 
To  carry  on  this  great  design. 


Children. 
Now  we  are  taught  to  read  and  pray. 
To  hear  God's  word,  to  keep  His  day; 
Lord,  here  accept  the  thanks  we  bring 
Our  infant  tongues  Thy  praise  would 
singr. 


Congregation. 
With  these  dear  children,  we'll  unite; 
Their  songs  inspire  us  with  delight; 
Lord,  while  on  earth  we  sing  Thy 
love, 

May  angels  join  the  notes  above. 


Children. 
Great  God,  our  benefactors  bless. 


148 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Congregation. 
And  crown  Thy  work  with  great  suc- 


BOTH. 

O  may  we  meet  around  Thy  throne, 
To  sing  Thy  praise  in  strains  un- 
known. 


Second. 


Congregation. 
O  what  a  pleasure  'tis  to  see 
Christians  in  harmony  agree, 
To  teach  the  rising  race  to  know 
They're  born  in  sin,  expos'd  to  woe ! 

Children. 
O  what  a  privilege  is  this, 
That  we  obtain  so  rich  a  grace  ! 
We're   taught   the   path   to  endless 
day — 

We're  taught  to  read,  to  sing,  and 
pray. 


Chorus. 

To  God  let  highest  praise  be  giv'n; 
Hark !   how  the  echo   sounds  from 
heav'n. 

Come,  let  us  with  the  angels  join. 
Glory  to  God,  good  will  to  men. 

Congregation. 
Lord,  Thou  hast  said,  in  sacred  page. 
That  children  are  Thy  heritage; 
Accept  them,  bless  them  with  Thy 
grace, 

'Till  they  above  behold  Thy  face. 


Children. 
Let  blessings  in  abundance  flow 
On  all  around  us  here  below; 
May  we  our  benefactors  meet, 
Around  Jehovah's  blissful  seat. 


Third. 


Boys. 


Once  more  we  keep  the  sacred  day, 
That  saw  the  Saviour  rise; 

Once  more  we  tune  our  infant  song 
To  Him  that  rules  the  skies. 


Girls. 


Our  foolish  hearts  are  prone  to  err; 

Too  oft  we  find  it  so; 
O  may  the  God  of  grace  forgive, 

And  better  hearts  bestow. 


Girls. 

What   numbers   vainly    spend  these 
hours. 

That  are  to  Jesus  due ; 
Children  and  parents,  how  they  live ! 

And  how  they  perish  too ! 

Boys. 

But  we,  a  happier  few,  are  taught 
The  ways  of  heavn'ly  truth ! 

We  hail  once  more  the  plan  of  love 
That  pities  wand'ring  youth. 


Boys. 

Teach  us  the  way,  while  here  we 
learn 

To  read  Thy  Holy  Word; 
Bless  all  the  kind  instructions  giv'n, 
And  make  us  Thine,  O  Lord. 


Both. 

God,  and 


Praise  to  our 
those. 

Who  thus  the  poor  befriend; 
While  the  rich  benefit  we  reap. 
On  them  Thy  blessing  send. 


thanks  to 


Christian  Hymnology. 


149 


In  all  these  songs  prayer  is  offered  for,  and  thanks  are  sung 
to  their  teachers,  who  are  termed  ''Benefactors." 

In  'The  Christian  Lyre"  is  this,  entitled  "Funeral  Hymn 
for  a  Sunday  Scholar,  to  be  sung  by  the  Children."  The  tune 
set  to  it  called  Coleshill,  is  on  page  78. 


Down  to  the  tomb  our  brother  goes, 

In  its  cold  arms  to  rest; 
As,  smit  by  sudden  storms,  the  rose 

Sinks  on  the  garden's  breast. 

No  more  with  us  his  tuneful  voice 
The  hymn  of  praise  shall  swell ; 

No  more  his  gentle  heart  rejoice 
To  hear  the  Sabbath  bell. 


But  if,  in  yon  celestial  sphere, 

Amid  the  glorious  throng, 
He  warbles  to  his  Maker's  ear, 

The  everlasting  song — 

No   more   we'll   mourn   our  buried 
friend ; 

But  lift  the  ardent  prayer, 
And  every  thought  and  effort  bend, 
To  rise  and  join  him  there. 


In  a  little  book  published  by  the  American  Sunday  School 
Union,  1821,  called  "The  New  Sunday  School  Hymn  Book,"  and 
another  in  1826,  218  hymns  in  the  first,  and  365  in  the  second, 
are  many  solemn  hymns,  some  written  to  voice  the  most  serious 
religious  sentiments  of  good  boys  and  dutiful  girls,  and  others 
admonitory  of  bad  ones.  We  see  in  many  of  them  the  ruling 
thought  that  children  must  ever  keep  in  mind  that  the  slippery 
paths  of  youth  lead  only  to  the  grave  and  the  dread  beyond ;  not 
so  much  a  cheerful,  devoted  Christian  life,  as  death  and  the 
judgment  in  view. 

Following  are  a  few  sample  verses  from  these  songs  for 
children,  quoted  as  further  illustration  of  practical,  spiritual 
enlightenment,  since  the  days  when  these  books  were  regarded 
as  standards : 


On  "Judgment' 


How  dreadful,  Lord,  will  be  the  day. 
When  all  the  tribes  of  dead  shall 
rise ; 

And  those  who  dared  to  disobey 
Shall   stand   before   Thy  piercing 
eyes. 


The  wicked  child,  who  often  heard, 
His  pious  teachers  speak  of  Thee; 

And  fled  from  every  serious  word. 
Shall  not  be  able  then  to  flee. 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


On  same  subject  is  this  verse  of  another: 

V\^here  shall  a  guilty  child  retire? 

Forgotten  and  unknown? 
In  hell  I  meet  the  dreadful  fire; 

In  Heaven  the  glorious  throne. 


This  is  a  verse  of  one  entitled  'Trayer" : 

We  see,  tho'  you  perceive  it  not, 
The  approaching  awful  doom ! 

O  tremble  at  the  solemn  thought, 
And  flee  the  wrath  to  come. 


I  quote  a  verse  ''On  the  Death  of  a  Teacher" : 

Unthinking  mortals,  ye  must  die; 

Behold  the  King  of  dread; 
Prepared  to  let  his  arrows  fly 

Which  ranks  you  with  the  dead ! 


Another  on  the  same  topic : 

Only  this  frail  and  fleeting  breath, 
Preserves  me  from  the  jaws  of  death; 
Soon  as  it  fails,  at  once  I'm  gone. 
And  plunged  into  a  world  unknown. 


Then  leaving  all  I  loved  below, 
To  God's  tribunal  I  must  go; 
Must  hear  the  judge  pronounce  my 
fate 

And  fix  my  everlasting  state. 


But  could  I  bear  to  hear  Him  say, 
"Depart,  ye  cursed,  far  away; 
With  Satan  in  the  lowest  hell. 
Thou  art  forever  doomed  to  dwell?" 


Another : 


And  am  I  born  to  die? 

To  lay  this  body  down; 
And  must  my  trembling  spirit  fly. 

Into  a  world  unknown? 


I  must  from  God  be  driven 
Or  with  my  Saviour  dwell; 

Must  come  at  his  command  to  heaven, 
Or  else — depart  to  hell. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


Anon. 


AYLESBURY.    S.  M 


^  ;^ 


:t=t 


And      am     I     born       to  die? 


To 


lay  this  bod 


y  down; 


And  must  my  trembling  spir-it    fly,        lu  -   to     a    world  un-known 


Title,  ^Tarting'': 


Farewell,  ye  blooming  sons  of  God, 
Sore  conflicts  yet  await  for  you; 

Yet  dauntless  keep  the  heavenly  road, 
Till  Canaan's  happy  land  you  view. 
Farewell,  farewell,  farewell. 


Title,  "Self -Examination'' : 

Without  such  fruit  as  God  expects, 

Knowledge  will  make  our  state  the  worse; 

The  fruitless  sinners  He  rejects. 

And  soon  will  blast  them  with  His  curse. 


These  are  enough  of  their  kind.  Others  are  unique  in  the 
expression  of  the  children's  love  for  the  Sunday  School;  love 
declared  to  far  surpass  their  love  for  home  or  for  play.  I 
quote  a  few  on  this  and  other  topics  of  interest,  which  only 
good,  truthful  children  could  honestly  sing : 


I  love  to  have  the  Sabbath  come 
For  then  I  rise  and  quit  my  home. 
And  haste  to  school  with  cheerful  air 
To  meet  my  dearest  teachers  there. 


The  clock  has  struck,  I  cannot  stay, 
O  let  me  rise  and  haste  away; 
I'll  quit  my  bed  and  leave  my  home; 
The  hour  of  school  at  length  has 
come. 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


I  love  to  join  the  joyful  play, 
To  sp©rt  beside  the  shady  pool, 
To  watch  my  kite  soar  far  away. 
But  more  I  love  the  Sunday  School. 


A  PRAYER  FOR  OUR  MINISTER. 


Bless  our  good  minister  we  pray 
Who  loves  to  see  a  child  attend; 

And  let  us  honor  and  obey, 

The  words  of  such  a  holy  friend. 


So  when  our  lives  are  finished  here, 
And  days  and  Sabbaths  be  no  more. 

May  we  along  with  him  appear. 

To  serve  and  love  Thee  evermore. 


ON  BEHAVIOUR  AT  CHURCH. 

In  God's  own  house  for  me  to  play  When  angels  bow  before  the  Lord, 

W^here  Christians  meet  to  sing  and  And  devils  tremble  at  His  word, 

pray,  Shall  I,  a  feeble  mortal  dare 

Is  to  profane  His  holy  place,  To  mock  and  sport  and  trifle  there? 
And  tempt  the  Almighty  to  His  face. 

Another  bears  the  title  ''Dismission  of  an  Incorrigible 


Scholar" 


How  painful  'tis  to  turn  away, 

A  scholar  from  his  place; 
May  you  be  careful  every  day 

For  fear  of  such  disgrace. 

As  in  our  time,  so,  then,  some  scholars  were  in  the  habit  of 
coming  late.    Here  are  two  verses  on  "Punctuahty'' : 

I  would  be  there  when  prayer  be-  O,  shall  my  teachers  wait  in  vain? 

gins,  While  my  neglect  must  give  them 
To  seek  the  pardon  for  my  sins;  pain; 

I'd  ask  the  favor  of  the  Lord  No,  let  me  rather  strive  to  be, 

And  pray  to  understand  His  word.  The  first  that  in  the  class  they  see. 


The  following  titles  of  others  in  these  books  give  further 
indication  of  the  solemnity  of  the  Children's  Songs  early  in  the 
nineteenth  century: 

"Beset  with  snares." 
"Time  is  winging  us  away." 
"Death  of  a  Christian." 


Christian  Hymnology. 


153 


"The  fading  lily." 
"The  Har's  portion." 
"Heaven  and  hell." 

"Self-examination." 
"Against  swearing." 
"Importance  of  religion," 

"Wicked  children." 

Fifty-two  of  the  hymns  in  the  1821  book  are  set  to  seven 
tunes ;  ten  each  to  Coronation,  MedHeld  and  Winter. 

First  Hnes  of  others,  selected  ninety  years  ago  by  the 
A.  A.  S.  Union  for  Children's  Songs,  are : 

"Before  Jehovah's  awful  throne." 
"Plunged  in  a  gulf  of  dark  despair." 
"God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way." 
"A  dread  and  solemn  hour." 
"Come,  humble  sinner,  in  whose  breast." 

Where  is  there  a  twentieth  century  Sunday  School  book 
that  contains  a  single  one  of  these  twenty-five  hymns?  Our 
schools  and  our  prayer  meetings,  happily,  are  now  singing  praise 
and  prayer-hymns  Hke  the  following : 

''Crown  Him  with  many  crowns,"  by  Matthew^  Bridges. 
"Abide  with  Me,"  by  H.  F.  Lyte. 
"Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee,"  by  Sarah  F.  Adams. 
"Onward,  Christian  Soldiers,"  by  T.  Baring  Gould. 
"Softly  and  Tenderly  Jesus  is  calling,"  by  Will  H. 
Thompson. 

"When  peace  like  a  river  attendeth  my  way,"  by  H.  G. 
Spafford. 

"The  Master  is  come,  and  calleth  for  thee,"  by  Fanny 
Crosby. 

"Do  you  see  the  Saviour  standing?"  by  Mrs.  C.  H. 
Morris. 


154 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


''I  am  thinking  today  of  that  beautiful  land/'  by  E.  E. 
Hewitt. 

''Brightly  beams  our  Father's  mercy,"  by  P.  P.  Bliss. 
''Wonderful  words  of  life,"  by  P.  P.  Bliss. 
"Blessed  assurance,  Jesus  is  mine,"  by  Fanny  Crosby. 
"Almost  persuaded,"  by  P.  P.  Bliss. 

"Beneath  the  Cross  of  Jesus,"  by  Elizabeth  C.  Cle-^ 

PHANE. 

"Forward  be  our  watchword,"  by  FIenry  Alford. 
"Brightly  gleams  our  banner,"  by  Rev.  T.  J.  Potter. 
"Fling  out  the  banner,  let  it  float,"  by  Geo.  W.  Doane. 
"Golden  harps  are  sounding,"  by  Frances  R.  Havergal. 
"I  think  when  I  read  that  sweet  story  of  old,"  Anon. 
"Sun  of  my  soul,  Thou  Saviour  dear,"  by  John  Keble. 
"Jesus,  tender  Saviour,  hear  me,"  Anon. 
"Tell  me  the  Old,  Old  Story,"  by  Katharine  Hankey. 
"Jesus  calls  us  o'er  the  tumult,"  by  Cecil  F.  Alexander. 
"O  Jesus,  Thou  art  standing,"  by  W.  W.  How. 
"What  a  Friend  we  have  in  Jesus,"  by  C.  C.  Converse. 
"O  what  can  little  hands  do." 

"Purer  yet  and  purer,  I  would  be  in  mind,"  by  J.  W.  Von 
Goethe. 

"Brightest  and  best  of  the  sons  of  the  morning." 
"Welcome,  happy  morning,  age  to  age  shall  say,"  by  For- 

TUNATUS. 

"The  King  of  Love,  my  Shepherd  is,"  by  Rev.  Henry  W. 
Baker. 

"O  love  that  will  not  let  me  go,"  by  George  Matheson. 

"Come  to  the  Saviour  now.  He  gently  calleth  thee,"  a  most 
admirable  hymn  by  John  M.  Wigner,  inseparable  from  F.  C. 
Maker's  tune.  Invitation,  and  hundreds  more  of  standard, 
inspiring  lyrics,  equally  adaptable  to  teachers  and  scholars, 
whether  young  or  old ;  all  these  are  now  found  in  our  best  hymn- 
books.  The  advance  in  quality  and  fitness  of  our  Sunday  School 
Songs  indicates  more  a  revolution  than  an  evolution. 


Chapter  XII. 


COMMENTS  ON  DOGGEREL  RHYMES. 

''We  learn  by  contrasts  to  enjoy  the  beauties  that  surround 
us."  We  have  learned  by  contrasts  to  enjoy  our  chosen,  loved 
hymns  and  their  tunes,  hymns  that  we  cherish  because  of  their 
concurrence  with  our  Christian  convictions  and  the  comfort 
they  give  us  when  our  hearts  are  weary  and  downcast. 

There  is  a  contrast  yet  to  be  mentioned.  It  w^ould  be  unfair 
to  the  memory  of  the  ancients  to  convey  the  impression  that, 
of  our  perennial  supplies  of  new  hymns  and  tunes  all  are  worthy 
a  place  in  our  service  of  song.  I  am  not  a  pioneer  among  critics 
of  shallow,  so-called  revival  hymns,  intruders  into  association 
with  our  consecrated  hymns  and  tunes,  old  and  new,  of  the  kind 
that  will  never  wear  out.  I  refer  to  the  class  described  by  Rev. 
Theodore  L.  Cuyler  as  "Hymns  that  are  no  hymns";  and  by 
Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  as  ''Worthless,  heartless  trash,"  the 
modern  matches  for  those  designated  by  Wesley  as  "doggerel 
and  botches,"  some  of  the  tunes  accompanying  which  were 
described  by  Rev.  Dr.  Wa^dand  Hoyt  as  "Trippling-diddle 
tunes." 

To  particularize  many  here  might  hurt  some  worthy 
writer,  yet  a  proper  elucidation  makes  it  necessary  that  at  least 
one  or  two  should  be  cited  as  examples,  and  I  would  suggest 
first,  one  entitled  "The  Old  Time  Religion,"  which  is  included 
in  a  book  lately  issued.   Two  of  its  verses  follow : 

It  was  good  for  our  mothers,  'Tis  the  old-time  religion, 

It  was  good  for  our  mothers,  'Tis  the  old-time  religion, 

It  was  good  for  our  mothers,  'Tis  the  old-time  religion, 

And  it's  good  enough  for  me.  And  it's  good  enough  for  me. 

A  congregation  of  Jews  or  Mohammedans  could  sing  these 
verses  as  heartily  as  we;  but  it  is  doubtful  if  even  they  would 
ever  indulge  in  such  doggerel. 

The  title  of  another — "Take  Time  to  be  Holy" — conveys  no 

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156 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


pleasant  thought  to  me,  for  holiness  cannot  be  acquired  in  haste, 
nor  yet  by  appointing  a  day  or  hour  for  it.  It  is  a  work  of 
God's  grace,  just  as  sanctification  is  defined  in  the  Shorter  Cate- 
chism— ''A  work  of  God's  free  grace  whereby  we  are  renewed 
in  the  whole  man  after  the  image  of  God,  and  are  enabled  more 
and  more  to  die  unto  sin,  and  to  live  unto  righteousness." 
Excepting  this  first  line,  'Take  Time  to  be  Holy/'  which  is 
repeated  with  every  verse,  the  hymn  is  excellent,  as  is  its  tune, 
by  Stebbins. 

'Tull  for  the  shore,  brother,"  may  be  mentioned  as  one  of  a 
kind  that  may  well  be  dropped. 

Another  one  that  may  be  regarded  as  dispensable,  pub- 
lished 1902,  is  entitled,  ''Somebody  Must."  Its  first  verse  and 
chorus  follow: 

Someone  must  struggle  that  others  may  win; 
Someone  the  world's  better  day  must  bring  in ; 
Someone  the  work  that  is  hardest  must  do — , 
Somebody  must,  brother!  Shall  it  be  you? 

Chorus. 

Somebody  must !  Somebody  must ! 
Do  then  your  duty,  in  God  be  your  trust; 
Somebody  must !  Somebody  must ! 
Live  like  a  hero,  for  somebody  must ! 

It  must  be  said  for  the  book  containing  this  hymn  that  it 
abounds  richly  in  our  best  standard  hymns  and  tunes,  but  of 
its  340  hymns,  a  hundred  might  be  omitted  with  advantage. 
The  fact  is,  there  are  far  too  many  hymns  and  tunes  being 
ground  out  these  days.  From  the  aggregate  of  current  publi- 
cations, hundreds  ought  to  be  dropped. 

Rev.  Dr.  John  F.  Carson,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  moderator 
of  The  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
U.  S.  A.,  in  the  course  of  a  great  sermon  preached  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  Assembly,  May  21,  191 1,  said: 

If  there  is  anything  we  need  in  these  days,  it  is  a  new 
emphasis  on  reverence.    We  sing  our  lilting  hymns  and  we  go 


Christian  Hymnology. 


157 


out  of  church  with  smiles  on  our  faces  and  say  what  a  good  time 
we  had  at  the  service.  The  world  sees  us  smile  and  does  not 
know  whether  we  have  been  in  a  church  or  in  a  theatre.  Surely, 
our  prayers  and  our  hymns  should  be  more  earnest  and  reverent. 
Bitter  tears  of  repentance  upon  our  faces  would  be  more 
effective  than  the  smile  that  follows  some  hymn  sung  to  a 
miserable  rag-time  tune. 

Rev.  Theo.  L.  Cuyler  said  of  ''Let  the  lower  lights  be  burn- 
ing"— "it  is  unworthy,"  etc.,  and  of  another,  entitled  "More  to 
follow'' — "it  is  wish-wash.''  He  said:  "We  should  not  be 
dragged  down  to  doggerel  suggested  by  secular  events  or  watch- 
words such  as  holding  forts  or  steering  schooners  into  harbor," 
and,  he  added,  "A  wholesome  reaction  is  setting  in  from  this 
style  of  rhymes  to  genuine,  great,  solid,  soul-lifting  hymns," 
and  he  is  about  right.  Let  us  watch  and  pray  for  it.  Happily, 
the  newcomers  of  the  kind  criticised  have  no  staying  qualities. 
Our  fine  standards  have  so  elevated  musical  tastes  and  spiritual 
perceptions  that  this  class  of  hymns  and  tunes  will  be  as  the 
early  dew  under  a  bright,  rising  sun. 

Writing  of  what  he  terms  "rag-time"  songs,  and  quoting 
from  an  address  by  Governor  Woodrow  Wilson,  of  New  Jersey, 
Rev.  Richard  S.  Holmes,  D.D.,  in  "The  Continent,"  says: 

In  the  address  the  governor  made  an  illustration  of  our 
caption.  He  displayed  courage  and  sense  in  rebuking  the 
nonsense  embodied  in  some  of  the  popular  Sunday  school 
hymns,  one  of  which,  "Beautiful  Isle  of  Somewhere,"  had  just 
been  sung  by  the  6,000  people  whom  he  was  addressing  in  the 
armory  at  Trenton. 

In  a  somewhat  old-fashioned  way,  Governor  Wilson  advo- 
cated a  more  direct  teaching  of  the  Bible  from  the  Bible,  and  a 
general  use  in  singing  in  Sunday  school  of  the  old  psalms. 
Apologizing  for  a  course  which  might  seem  in  bad  taste  in 
criticising  the  hymn  which  had  just  been  sung,  he  said,  "It  illus- 
trates many  present-day  hymns  which  contain  neither  poetry 
nor  sense."    *  * 

We  take  our  place  with  Dr.  Wilson.  He  is  eminently  right. 
We  have  never  seen  nor  heard  sung  "The  Beautiful  Isle  of 
Somewhere,"  but  if  the  hymn  is  as  essentially  idiotic  as  its  title, 
we  can  give  ourselves  gratulation.  Of  course  the  author  was 
writing  about  heaven,  but  it  is  not  an  "isle  of  somewhere,"  or 


158 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


nowhere,  or  anywhere.  God's  isles  are  scattered  over  the  vast 
oceans  and  rivers,  lakes  and  seas,  but  we  have  never  heard  that 
any  of  them  were  heavens.    *    *  * 

Where  is  the  didactic  value,  the  value  as  a  spiritual  appeal, 
in  the  following  lines  which  were  sung  far  and  wide  fifty  years 
ago? 

"Oh,  won't  you  be  a  Christian  while  you're  young? 
Oh,  won't  you  be  a  Christian  while  you're  young? 
Don't  think  it  will  be  better 
To  defer  it  until  later. 
But  remember  your  Creator 
While  you're  young." 

It  is  an  irreverent  attempt  to  put  into  jingle  for  Sunday 
school  children  to  sing  the  great  sentiment  of  Ecclesiastes  12:1; 
it  is  neither  sense  nor  poetry,  and  its  tune  was  not  dignified 
enough  to  associate  with  some  of  our  present-day  "rag-time" 
songs. 


From  ''The  Continent"  of  December  14,  191 1,  I  take  the 
following  two  items  by  contributors: 

MORE  ABOUT  THE  HYMNS. 

I  have  read  with  some  amusement  both  the  editorial  "Sense 
Versus  Nonsense"  and  the  comment  by  D.  W.  Fahs  on  the  song 
"Beautiful  Isle  of  Somewhere."  As  it  happens  I  used  as  a 
Sunday  school  pupil  to  sing  the  song  quoted  by  R.  S.  H.,  and  of 
which  he  had  forgotten  the  fourth  line.  He  also  omitted  the 
chorus.  I  can  supply  that  lacking  fourth  line  and  the  chorus. 
Here  it  is: 

"Oh,  golden  hereafter  whose  every  bright  rafter 
Shall  shake  with  the  thunder  of  sanctified  song, 

And  every  swift  angel  proclaim  an  evangel 

To  summon  God's  saints  to  the  glorified  throng." 

Chorus. 

"Oh,  chorus  of  fire  that  shall  burst  from  God's  choir. 
When  the  loud  Hallelujahs  leap  up  from  the  soul. 

While  the  flowers  on  the  hills  and  the  waves  in  the  rills 
Shall  tremble  with  joy  at  the  music's  deep  roll." 


Surely  doggerel  was  never  before  dressed  in  such  a  Joseph's 
coat  of  verbiage  as  that. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


And  then  about  that  "Isle  of  Somewhere."  That  is  not 
scriptural  if  it  is  poetastical.  The  twenty-first  chapter  of  the 
Revelation  gives  what  purports  to  be  a  picture  of  the  habitation 
of  the  blest  hereafter,  but  it  certainly  is  not  an  isle,  nor  on  an 
island;  for  John  says  (R.  V.),  "And  the  sea  is  no  more."  How 
can  heaven  be  a  "beautiful  isle  of  somewhere"  if  there  is  no  sea? 

Charles  D.  Hillis. 

SOME  SONGS  ODD  OR  UNTRUE. 

Apropos  of  "Sense  and  Nonsense"  I  wish  to  add  a  word. 
Much  was  done  for  Sunday  school  music  in  the  sixties,  but  there 
was  a  great  deal  of  criticism  of  some  of  it.  One  of  the  songs  for 
a  penny  collection  was  positively  untrue : 

"The  mites  have  the  blessing. 

The  millions  have  naught. 
Our  faith  thus  expressing 

Our  gifts  we  have  brought. 
Had  we  followed  love's  prompting. 

It  miight  have  been  such 
As  to  forfeit  the  blessing 

By  giving  too  much." 

Two  teachers  confessed  they  could  not  understand  some  of 
the  songs,  and  a  critic  cited  this  stanza  as  an  instance  of  mixed 
metaphors : 

"We  are  coming,  we  are  coming. 

We  are  coming  in  our  youth; 
We'll  fill  the  vacant  ranks, 

As  we're  battling  for  the  truth. 
And  stone  after  stone 

In  the  temple  of  the  Lord, 
We  will  lay,  while  in  glory 

They  are  reaping  their  reward." 

One  of  our  present  songs,  "When  the  Roll  Is  Called  Up 
Yonder,"  if  sung  feelingly  and  at  a  time  when  many  are  deciding 
for  Christ,  is  all  right;  but  when  rattled  off  "lively"  the  chorus 
only  needs  "you  bet"  at  the  close  to  complete  the  sacrilege. 

"I'll  go  where  you  want  me  to  go,  dear  Lord"  is  certainly  in 
line  with  our  vows,  but  I  think  it  is  one  of  the  hymns  that  should 
be  used  sparingly.  I  myself  always  avoid  singing  "My  lifted  eye 
without  a  tear,"  etc.,  though  it  is  part  of  a  hymn  we  could  not 
well  spare. 


i6o 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


We  must  have  hymns  for  all  occasions,  some  of  which  may  be 
childish,  catchy,  uncultured,  perhaps,  but  never  untrue;  as  well 
as  those  for  special  occasions,  when  the  Spirit  of  God  is  so  mani- 
festly present  that  our  brightest  aspirations  can  be  voiced  without 
being  incongruous  or  sacrilegious.  A.  S.  L. 

John  B.  McFerrins,  the  great  commoner  of  Southern  Meth- 
odism, on  his  deathbed,  said:  "Those  Httle  songs  about  'Sweet 
by  and  by/  and  'Shall  we  know  each  other  there?'  may  all  be 
very  nice,  but  don't  you  let  any  of  them  be  sung  at  my  funeral/' 


Chapter  XIII. 


HYMN-MENDING. 

Another  branch  of  the  subject  that,  in  any  fair  treatment 
of  it,  cannot  be  passed  over  without  comment  is : 

Alterations  of  the  Original  Text  of  Hymns. 

To  suit  the  whims  of  later  compilers  or  publishers,  and 
sometimes  to  make  them  coincide  with  the  doctrinal  sentiments 
of  particular  sects,  and  again  with  the  view  of  improving  the 
poetry  or  of  correcting  grammatical  error,  alterations  of  hymns 
have  been  going  on  from  the  day  of  Watts  or  earlier  until  now. 
We  recall  the  remonstrance  of  John  Wesley,,  in  preface  to  his 
book  (1779)  demanding  that  if  any  future  publisher  should 
change  a  word  of  any  of  the  Wesley  hymns  the  original  should 
be  printed  in  a  footnote.  It  does  not  appear  that  his  demand 
has  always  been  complied  with.  Dr.  Timothy  Dwight,  of  New 
Haven,  in  preface  to  his  book  of  Watts'  hymns  (1800)  wrote 
that  in  altering  such  passages  as  were  defective,  either  in  lan- 
guage or  sentiment,  he  found  two  objects  claiming  his  attention 
— the  errors  of  the  press  and  those  of  the  writer.  After  compli- 
menting Dr.  Watts  for  his  learning  and  piety,  he  said  that  he 
was  not  distinguished  as  a  correct  writer,  and  must  be  charged 
with  some  errors  found  in  his  psalm  book. 

Often  alterations  in  the  text  of  an  author  have  been  in  the 
line  of  corrections  of  errors,  either  of  an  author  or  printer,  or 
of  improvement  in  the  poetry  or  the  sentiment,  and  in  such 
cases  may  be  considered  justifiable,  provided  what  is  left  of  the 
hymn  is  worthy  of  esteem.  In  other  cases  alterations  have  been 
unjustifiable  from  any  standpoint. 

Among  the  many  alterations  by  the  hymn-mending  pub- 
lishers of  our  standard  hymnals,  I  cite  first : 

"Safely  through  another  week,"  by  Newton,  1779,  now 
known  as  ''Sabbath,"  to  Lowell  Mason's  tune.   It  was  originally 

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The  Evolution  of  Our 


named  "Saturday  Night/'  Those  days,  the  Sabbath  began 
at  the  setting  of  Saturday's  sun,  when  the  family  gathered 
for  prayer  and  singing,  in  preparation  for  the  morrow.  Its 
first  verse  then  was : 

Safely  through  another  week 
God  has  brought  us  on  our  way: 

Let  us  now  a  blessing  seek 

On  the  approaching  Sabbath  day. 

The  last  verse,  referring  to  the  ensuing  morrow,  was  origi- 
nally : 

V^hen  the  morn  shall  bid  us  rise 

May  we  feel  Thy  presence  near; 
May  Thy  glory  meet  our  eyes 

When  we  in  Thy  house  appear. 
There  afford  us  Lord  a  taste 

Of  our  everlasting  feast. 

From  Henry  F.  Lyte's  grand  hymn,  "Abide  with  me,  fast 
falls  the  eventide,"  the  following  two  verses  have  been  dropped 
by  general  assent : 

Come  not  in  terrors,  as  the  King  of     Thou  on  my  head  in  early  youth  did 

kings ;  smile, 
But  kind  and  good,  with  healing  in     And,  though  rebellious  and  perverse 

Thy  wings;  meanwhile, 
Tears  for  all  woes,  a  heart  for  every     Thou  hast  not  left  me,  oft  as  I  left 

plea,  Thee, 
Come,  Friend  of  sinners,  and  abide     On  to  the  close,  O  Lord,  abide  with 

with  me !  me. 

Many  hundreds  of  altered  hymns  are  found  in  our  latter- 
day  hymnals,  but  I  will  cite  only  a  few  notable  examples,  leaving 
it  to  the  judgment  of  the  reader  whether  or  not  such  alterations 
are  meritable. 

"Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee.'' — This  hymn,  by  Mrs.  Sarah 
F.Adams,  has  been  severely  criticised  as  the  production  of  a  Uni- 
tarian. One  candid  Trinitarian  said :  "It  has  been  objected  that 
it  contains  no  word  of  Christ,  ^as  if  the  actual  use  of  the  name 


Christian  Hymnology. 


of  the  Saviour  was  to  be  regarded  as  a  proof  of  the  infallible 
Christian  spirit  of  a  hymn ;  but  to  those  who  have  Christ  in  their 
hearts  it  has  ever  been  made  a  blessing." 

The  compilers  of  "The  Baptist  Hymn  Book''  were  so  ill- 
pleased  with  the  omission  of  the  name  of  Christ  from  this  hymn 
that  they  secured  the  services  of  Rev.  A.  T.  Russell  to  make  the 
lyric  "perfect''  by  verses  of  his  own,  and  this  is  one  of  his  sub- 
stituted verses : 

Christ  alone  beareth  me 

When  Thou  dost  shine; 
Joint  heir  He  maketh  me 

Of  the  Divine. 
In  Christ  my  soul  shall  be 
Nearer  my  God  to  Thee, 

Nearer  to  Thee. 

Another,  with  the  same  intent,  changed  A  cross  to 
The  cross,  making  the  third  line  of  first  verse  "E'en  though  it 
be  the  cross  that  raiseth  me." 

Another  alters  it  to  read: 

Though  by  Thy  bitter  cross 
We  raised  be. 

Another  changes  the  fifth  verse  from 

Or  if  on  joyful  wing, 

Cleaving  the  sky, 
Sun,  moon  and  stars  forgot, 

Upward  I  fly,  etc. 

making  it : 

And  when  on  joyful  wing. 

Cleaving  the  sky, 
Unto  the  Light  of  Lights 

Upward  I  fly. 

Hundreds  of  good  hymns  have  been  altered  without  appre  • 
ciable  reason.  Some  have  made  changes  in  well-known  hymns 
with  succeeding  editions  of  their  own  publications.  As  an 
example,  I  name  the  good  old  dismission  hymn,  "Lord,  Dismiss 


164 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


us  with  Thy  Blessing,"  which  is  included  in  the  hymnals  of  all 
the  principal  denominations.  Its  authorship  is  ascribed  to  two, 
Rev.  Robert  Hawker,  M.D.,  of  Plymouth,  England,  and  John 
Fawcett.  It  appeared  first  in  1774.  Hawker  wrote  it  evi- 
dently as  follows.    (I  copy  it  from  Dobell's  Selections  of  1806)  : 

Lord,  dismiss  us  with  Thy  blessing,     Fill  each  breast  with  consolation; 

Bid  us  all  depart  in  peace;  Up  to  Thee  our  voices  raise; 

Still  on  Gospel  manna  feeding,  When  we  reach  Thy  blissful  station, 

Pure,  seraphic  joys  increase.  Then  we'll  give  Thee  nobler  praise. 

Chorus. 

And  sing  Hallelujah 

To  God  and  the  Lamb, 
Forever  and  ever, 

Hallelujah,  Amen. 


In  "Parish  Psalmody,"  1844,  it  has  three  verses,  as  follows 


Lord,  dismiss  us  with  Thy  blessing. 
Fill  our  hearts  with  joy  and  peace; 

Let  us  each  Thy  love  possessing. 
Triumph  in  redeeming  grace ; 

Oh  refresh  us, 
Traveling  through  this  wilderness. 


Thanks  we  give  and  adoration 
For  Thy  gospel's  joyful  sound; 

May  the  fruits  of  Thy  salvation 
In  our  hearts  and  lives  abound; 

May  Thy  presence 
With  us  evermore  be  found. 


So  whene'er  the  signal's  given 
Us  from  earth  to  call  away. 

Borne  on  angel's  wings  to  heaven 
Glad  the  summons  to  obey — 

May  we  ready. 
Rise  and  reign  in  endless  day. 


The  Episcopal  hymnal  gives  the  first  two  verses  same  as 
the  preceding,  but  changes  the  third  verse,  making  it : 

So  that  when  Thy  love  shall  call  us, 

Saviour,  from  the  world  away. 
Fear  of  death  shall  not  appall  us. 

Glad  Thy  summons  to  obey — 
May  we  ever 

Reign  with  Thee  in  endless  day. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


165 


The  "Endeavor  Hymnar'  has  it : 

Lord,  dismiss  us  with  Thy  blessing;  Fill  each  heart  with  consolation; 

Bid  us  now  depart  in  peace;  Up  to  Thee  our  hearts  we  raise; 

Still  on  heavenly  manna  feeding,  When  we  reach  our  blissful  station, 

Let  our  faith  and  love  increase.  Then  we'll  give  Thee  nobler  praise. 

The  Presbyterian  Hymnal,  1874,  prints  it  the  same  as  in 
"Parish  Psalmody,"  1844,  excepting  the  last  two  lines  of  third 
verse,  which  they  render: 

We  shall  surely 

Reign  with  Christ  in  endless  day. 

In  this  hymnal  of  1895  they  make  further  amendments. 
Instead  of : 

May  thy  presence 

With  us  evermore  be  found  (verse  2) 

they  give  it: 

Ever  faithful 

To  the  truth  may  we  be  found. 

And  they  again  change  verse  3  to  read  as  follows : 

So  that  when  Thy  love  shall  call  us, 

Saviour,  from  the  world  away. 
Let  no  fear  of  death  appall  us, 

Glad  the  summons  to  obey: 
May  we  ever 

Reign  with  Thee  in  endless  day. 

These  numerous  alterations  appear  to  be  immaterial.  For- 
tunately, enough  of  the  hymn  as  originally  composed  remains 
for  its  identification. 

While,  as  has  been  said,  this  book  is  no  compendium  of  his- 
torical incidents  in  the  lives  of  authors,  yet  the  following  story 
about  this  hymn,  and  its  author.  Dr.  Hawker,  is  so  interesting, 
I  copy  it,  by  consent  of  the  publishers,  Messrs.  Funk  &  Wag- 
nalls,  of  New  York,  from  "English  Hymns,''  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Samuel  W.  Duffield. 

The  author  was  born  at  Exeter  in  1753.    He  was  an  only 
child,  and  was  educated  to  be  a  surgeon.    At  nineteen  he  mar- 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


ried  and,  being  induced  by  his  love  of  God's  work  to  enter  the 
ministry,  he  was  ordained  at  Oxford  in  1778.  In  May,  1784,  he 
became  the  curate  of  Charles  the  Martyr's  Church,  and  there 
continued  to  officiate  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  his 
seventy-fourth  year,  April  6,  1827.  His  funeral  was  attended  by 
thousands  of  persons,  for,  in  his  lifetime  he  was  renowned  as 
a  controversial  writer  of  the  high  Calvinistic  order,  and  as  a 
distinguished  commentator  on  the  Scriptures. 

Dr.  Hawker  was  the  grandfather  of  Robert  Stephen  Haw- 
ker, the  eccentric  "vicar  of  Morwenstow,"  whose  oddities  are  so 
graphically  described  by  Rev.  S.  Baring-Gould.  In  that  enter- 
taining and  unique  volume  we  have  a  story  which,  although 
it  has  been  seriously  questioned  on  the  score  of  accuracy,  is  still 
too  attractive  to  be  allowed  to  escape  notice. 

In  Charles  Church  the  evening  service  always  closed  with 
the  singing  of  the  hymn,  "Lord,  dismiss  us  with  Thy  blessing," 
composed  by  Dr.  Hawker  himself.  His  grandson  did  not  know 
the  authorship  of  the  hymn ;  he  came  to  the  Doctor  one  day  with 
a  paper  in  his  hand,  and  said:  "Grandfather,  I  don't  altogether 
like  that  hymn,  'Lord,  dismiss  us  with  Thy  blessing';  I  think  it 
might  be  improved  in  metre  and  language,  and  would  be  better 
if  made  somewhat  longer." 

"Oh,  indeed!"  said  Dr.  Hawker,  getting  red;  "and  pray, 
Robert,  what  emendations  commend  themselves  to  your  preco- 
cious wisdom?"  "This  is  my  improved  version,"  said  the  boy, 
and  read  as  follows: 

Lord,  dismiss  us  with  Thy  blessing, 
High  and  low  and  rich  and  poor; 

May  we  all,  Thy  fear  possessing, 
Go  in  peace  and  sin  no  more ! 

Lord,  requite  not  as  we  merit, 

Thy  displeasure  all  must  fear; 
As  of  old,  so  let  Thy  Spirit, 

Still  the  dove's  resemblance  bear. 

May  Thy  Spirit  dwell  within  us ; 

May  its  love  our  refuge  be; 
So  shall  no  temptation  win  us 

From  the  path  that  leads  to  Thee. 

So  when  these  our  lips  shall  wither, 

So  when  fails  each  earthly  tone, 
May  we  sing  once  more  together, 

Hymns  of  glory  round  the  throne ! 


Christian  Hymnology. 


Then,  Mr.  Baring-Gould  tells  us  that  the  audacious  young- 
ster actually  read  to  his  grandfather  the  original  hymn,  and 
added  to  his  ofTences  by  the  remark :  "This  one  is  crude  and 
flat;  don't  you  think  so,  grandfather?" 

"Crude  and  flat,  sir !  Young  puppy,  it  is  mine !  I  wrote 
that  hymn." 

"Oh !  I  beg  your  pardon,  grandfather,  I  did  not  know  that. 
It  is  a  very  nice  hymn,  indeed;  but — but — ,"  and  as  he  went  out 
of  the  door — "mine  is  better." 

Rev.  Charles  Wesley's  for  a  thousand  tongues  to 
sing/'  fourth  verse,  first  line,  originally 

"He  breaks  the  power  of  canceled  sin," 

is  now  universally 

"He  breaks  the  power  of  reigning  sin." 

Five  of  its  ten  verses  have  been  dropped. 

In  Watts'  hymn,  "Come  we  that  love  the  Lord,''  the  line 
"But  servants  of  the  Heavenly  King" 

is  changed  to 

"But  children  of  the  Heavenly  King." 

Rev.  Charles  Wesley's  ''Depth  of  mercy,  can  there  be," 
is  cut  down  from  48  lines  to  16  lines,  and  this  course  of  elimi- 
nation has  been  applied  to  hundreds  of  the  eighteenth  century 
hymns,  to  their  marked  improvement,  for  congregational  use. 

Of  the  great;  old  hymn  beginning : 

"Glory  to  God,  whose  sovereign  grace." 

we  find  no  more  this  verse : 

Suffice  that  for  the  season  past 

Hell's  horrid  language  filled  our  tongues; 

We  aU  Thy  words  behind  us  cast, 

And  lewdly  sang  the  drunkards'  songs. 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


A  wholly  justifiable  alteration,  now  generally  adopted,  is  in 
the  first  verse  of  Rev.  J.  S.  Mo n sell's  hymn,  ''On  our  way 
rejoicing,"  a  hymn  found  in  almost  every  modern  publication. 
As  originally  written,  it  was : 


The  error  contained  in  the  above  is  so  palpable  it  could  not 
be  carried  along  by  conscientious  editors,  so,  now  in  our  best 
books,  we  have  worthy  alterations  of  this  verse  of  which  I  here 
quote  two : 


Contrast  the  sentiment  of  the  second  and  fourth  lines  of  the 
original  first  verse  of  this  hymn  with  the  above  two  verses  and 
with  the  third  verse  of  Rev.  J.  Burns'  admirable  evening  hymn 
that  we  are  singing  to  Aiirelia,  beginning,  ''This  night,  O  Lord, 
we  bless  Thee:" 


Rev.  Joseph  H.  Gilmore,  in  his  precious  hymn,  "He  lead- 
eth  me,"  sets  forth  the  truth  in  these  lines : 


Oliver  W^endell  Holmes  touches  the  truth  that  our  God 
sends  clouds  and  sorrows,  bearing  blessings,  in  this  verse : 


Is  there  grief  or  sadness? 

Thine^  it  cannot  be; 
Is  our  sky  beclouded? 

Clouds  are  not  from  Thee. 


Is  there  grief  or  sadness? 

Firm  our  trust  shall  be; 
Is  our  sky  beclouded? 

Light  shall  come  from  Thee. 


Is  there  grief  or  sadness? 

Thou  our  joy  shalt  be; 
Is  our  sky  beclouded? 

There  is  light  in  Thee. 


What  may  be  on  the  morrow 
Our  foresight  cannot  see ; 

But  be  it  joy  or  sorrow, 

We  know  it  comes  from  Thee. 


Sometimes  'mid  scenes  of  deepest  gloom. 
Sometimes  where  Eden's  bowers  bloom, 
By  waters  calm,  o'er  troubled  sea, — 
Still  'tis  His  hand  that  leadeth  me. 


Our  midnight  is  Thy  smile  withdrawn; 


Our  noontide  is  Thy  gracious  dawn; 
Our  rainbow  arch  Thy  mercy's  sign ; 
All,  save  the  clouds  of  sin  are  thine. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


169 


Joseph  Addison,  1710,  wrote,  as  printed  in  ''Sacred  Har- 
mony,'' by  William  Little : 

The  lofty  pillars  of  the  sky  The  unwearied  sun  from  day  to  day. 

And  spacious  concave  raised  on  high,     Pours  knowledge  on  his  golden  ray; 
Spangled  with  stars,  a  shining  frame.     And  publishes  to  every  land 
Their  great  Original  proclaim.  The  work  of  an  Almighty  hand. 

This  has  been  well  altered  to  read  as  follows : 


The  spacious  firmament  on  high 
With  all  the  blue  ethereal  sky, 
And    spangled    heavens,    a  shining 
frame, 

Their  great  Original  proclaim. 


The  unwearied  sun  from  day  to  day, 
Does  his  Creator's  power  display 
And  publishes  to  every  land 
The  work  of  an  Almighty  hand. 


The  sixth  verse  of  our  dear  old  "Coronation''  hymn  was 
originally  written : 

Let  every  tribe  and  every  tongue 

That  bound  creation's  call. 
Now  shout  in  universal  song, 

The  crowned  Lord  of  all. 

The  Episcopal  hymnal  prints  it : 

Let  every  kindred,  every  tribe, 

Before  Him  prostrate  fall; 
To  Him  all  majesty  ascribe, 

And  crown  Him  Lord  of  all ! 

Other  hymnals  generally  give  it : 

Let  every  kindred,  every  tribe 

On  this  terrestrial  ball; 
To  Him  all  majesty  ascribe. 

And  crown  Him  Lord  of  all ! 

Charlotte  Elliott's  grand  hymn,  Holy  Saviour, 
Friend  unseen,"  first  verse,  third  line,  generally  reading: 

"Since  on  Thine  arm  Thou  bidd'st  me  lean," 

appears  in  "In  Excelsis,"  1896  edition: 

"The  faint,  the  weak,  on  Thee  may  lean." 


170 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Whichever  of  these  two  is  the  original  should  be  univer- 
sally retained. 

In  a  handsomely  gotten-up  hymnal  published  in  Boston  in 
1909,  primarily  for  Unitarians,  replete  in  its  four  hundred  selec- 
tions of  hymns  and  chants,  there  are  many  alterations  made 
with  the  apparent  purpose  of  ruling  out  certain  doctrinal 
features. 

Bishop  Heber's  great  hymn,  ''Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  Lord  God 
Almighty,''  has  been  garbled  to  such  extent  as  to  confound  the 
rhythm  and  entirely  impair  its  adaptation  to  the  tune.  The  last 
line  of  first  verse,  ''God  in  three  persons,  blessed  Trinity,"  ten 
syllables,  is  eliminated,  and  the  second  line  of  the  fourth  verse 
— "All  Thy  works  shall  praise  Thy  name,  in  earth  and  sky  and 
sea,'' — thirteen  syllables,  is  substituted. 

Charles  Wesley's  hymn,  for  a  heart  to  praise  my 
God,"  is  changed  by  striking  out,  "A  heart  that  always  feels  the 
blood  so  freely  shed  for  me,"  and  substituting,  ''A  heart  that 
always  feels  how  good  Thou,  Lord,  hast  been  to  me."  Dr. 
Muhlenberg's  hymn,  ''Saviour,  who  Thy  flock  art  feeding," 
appears  ''Father,  who  Thy  flock  art  feeding."  "Jesus  sought 
me  when  a  stranger"  is  made  to  read,  ''Thou  didst  seek  me,"  etc. 
Montgomery's  perfect  hymn-prayer,  "In  the  hour  of  trial, 
Jesus  plead  for  me"  is  altered  to  "In  the  hour  of  trial,  Father 
strengthen  me." 

For  obvious  reasons  the  first  verse  of  Rev.  Timothy 
Dwight's  hymn,  "I  love  Thy  Kingdom,  Lord,"  is  omitted 
entirely. 

While  in  this  book  there  are  many  such  alterations,  it  would 
seem  that  a  happy  inconsistency  is  manifest  in  that  it  contains 
a  great  many  of  our  choicest  hymns  in  adoration  of  Jesus  as 
Saviour  and  Son  of  God,  of  which  the  following  are  pertinent 
examples — none  different  from  the  generally  accepted  versions. 

"All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  Name." 

"Art  thou  weary,  art  thou  languid." 

"Our  blest  Redeemer  ere  He  breathed 
His  tender,  last  farewell." 


Christian  Hymnology. 


171 


"Come  unto  Me,  ye  weary, 
And  I  will  give  you  rest. 
O  blessed  voice  of  Jesus, 

That  comes  to  hearts  opprest." 

"Hark,  the  herald  angels  sing." 

"Hark,  hark,  my  soul." 

"I  heard  the  voice  of  Jesus  say." 

"In  the  cross  of  Christ  I  glory." 

"Jesus  calls  us  o'er  the  tumult." 

"Jesus  Christ  is  risen  to-day." 

"Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee." 

"Not  worthy,  Lord,  to  gather  up  the  crumbs." 

"O  Jesus,  Thou  art  standing." 

"Onward,  Christian  soldiers." 

"O  Sacred  Head,  now  wounded." 

"Prayer  is  the  soul's  sincere  desire." 
(Its  last  verse  is  a  prayer  to  Jesus.) 

"Bread  of  the  world  in  mercy  broken." 

Besides  all  these  familiar  hymns  there  are  in  it  some  good 
ones,  new  to  me,  from  which  I  will  quote  a  few  verses : 

I  believe  the  great  good  tidings,  How  beauteous  were  the  marks  divine 

Life  of  God  in  man  revealed,  That  in  Thy  meekness  used  to  shine 

Glorious  in  the  life  of  Jesus,  That  lit  Thy  lonely  pathway,  trod, 

By  His  cross  proclaimed  and  sealed.  In  wondrous  love,  O  Son  of  God. 

One  is  entitled :  "For  Communicants,"  to  the  good  old  tune, 
Dvindee, 

Ye  followers  of  the  Prince  of  Peace,     The  love  which  all  His  bosom  fills 
Who  round  His  table  draw.  Did  all  His  actions  guide; 

Remember  what  His  Spirit  was.  Inspired  by  love.  He  lived  and  taught; 

What  His  peculiar  law.  Inspired  by  love,  He  died. 

Let  none  who  call  themselves  His  friends, 

Disgrace  His  honored  name; 
But,  by  a  near  resemblance  prove, 

The  title  which  they  claim. 


172 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


From  another  good  Eucharistic  Elymn  I  quote  two  verses : 


Still,  the  Sacred  Table  spread, 
The  loving  cup  and  broken  bread, 
With  that  parting  word  agree, 
"Drink  and  eat;  remember  Me." 


When  my  love  for  Christ  grows  weak, 
When  for  stronger  faith  I  seek, 
Hill  of  Calvary,  I  go. 
To  Thy  scenes  of  fear  and  woe. 


Another  fine  one  in  this  book,  and  I  have  found  it  no- 
where else  until  the  issuance  of  the  new  (1911)  Hymnal  of 
the  Presbyterians,  where  it  is  appropriately  united  to  the  tune 
Serenity,  is  by  Rev.  Samuel  Longfellow  : 

Beneath  the  shadow  of  the  cross,  O  bond  of  union,  strong  and  deep ! 

As  earthly  hopes  remove,  O  bond  of  perfect  peace  ! 

His  new  commandment  Jesus  gives     Not  even  the  lifted  cross  can  harm 

His  blessed  word  of  love.  If  we  but  hold  to  this. 

Then  Jesus,  be  Thy  Spirit  ours 

And  swift  our  feet  shall  move 
To  deeds  of  pure  self-sacrifice 

And  the  sweet  tasks  of  love ! 

Many  hymns,  definitely  Christian,  in  ''Orthodox"  Trini- 
tarian hymnals  are  the  product  of  other  gifted  Unitarians; 
among  them : 

Oliver  Wendell  Holmes,  author  of : 

"O  love  divine,  that  stooped  to  share." 

"Lord  of  all  being,  throned  afar." 

"O  God  of  Hosts !  Almighty  King,"  et  al. 

William  Cullen  Bryant: 

north  with  all  thy  vales  of  green." 
"Thou  whose  unmeasured  temple  stands." 

Rev.  Edmund  H.  Sears: 

"Calm  on  the  listening  ear  of  night." 
*Tt  came  upon  the  midnight  clear." 

Henry  Ware,  Jr.  : 

"O  Thou  in  whom  alone  is  found." 

"Lift  your  glad  voices  in  triumph  on  high." 


Christian  Hymnology. 


173 


Sir  John  Bowring: 

"In  the  cross  of  Christ  I  glory." 
"Watchman,  tell  us  of  the  night." 
"God  is  love,  His  mercy  brightens." 

William  H.  Burleigh  : 

"Lead  us,  O  Father,  in  the  paths  of  peace." 

"Still  will  we  trust  though  earth  seems  dark  and  dreary." 

Anna  L.  Barbauld: 

"Praise  to  God,  immortal  praise." 

Helen  M.  Williams: 

"While  Thee  I  seek,  protecting  power." 

In  view  of  this  apparent  inconsistency,  with  a  decided 
drift  towards  what  we  are  wont  to  call  orthodoxy  in  these 
hymns  of  worship  and  service,  may  we  not  indulge  the  hope 
that  the  dividing  barrier  between  us,  if  not  crumbling,  is  not 
altogether  insurmountable,  and  may  we  not  pray  God  and 
cherish  the  hope  that  the  time  may  soon  come  when  it  shall 
be  broken  down;  when  all  who  call  themselves  Christians  shall 
unitedly  and  sincerely  sing: 

In  the  cross  of  Christ  I  glory. 

Towering  o'er  the  wrecks  of  time ; 

All  the  light  of  sacred  story 

Gathers  'round  its  head  sublime. 

John  Dobell,  in  the  preface  to  his  ^'New  Selection  of 
Seven  Hundred  Evangelical  Hymns,''  dated  March  ist,  1806, 
says : 

I  deem  it  unnecessary  to  make  any  apology  for  taking  many 
of  the  following  hymns  from  authors  who  differ  in  doctrinal 
sentiments  from  myself,  and  the  churches  with  which  I  am  con- 
nected. The  hymns,  themselves,  superior  in  their  kind,  and  on 
subjects  in  which  all  real  Christians  agree,  must  and  will  be 
their  own  apology. 


Chapter  XIV. 


CHRISTIAN  UNIFICATION. 

Happily,  it  has  come  to  pass  that  doctrinal  sentiments 
provocative  of  trouble  among  the  brethren  are  no  longer  in 
evidence  in  our  standard  denominational  hymnals.  As  regards 
our  praise  service,  we  all  can  sing: 

We  are  not  divided, 

All  one  body  we, 
One  in  hope  and  doctrine, 

One  in  charity. 

Rev.  Dr.  Robert  Stuart  McArthur,  a  prominent  Baptist 
minister  of  New  York,  speaking  of  the  unification  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  regardless  of  sect,  said: 

The  church  is  vastly  more  practical  to-day  than  ever  before. 
True  churchmen  realize  that  there  is  no  interest  of  humanity 
regarding  which  the  church  can  rightly  be  indifferent.  The 
words  of  Terence,  "I  am  a  man  and  I  deem  nothing  common 
to  man  foreign  to  me."  The  church  now  believes  these  words 
might  have  been  spoken  or  written  by  the  Apostle  Paul;  indeed, 
they  are  not  unworthy  the  lips  of  the  Great  Teacher  himself. 

Never  before  was  the  church  living  up  to  this  principle  as 
to-day.  It  thus  comes  to  pass  that  the  church  is  interested  in 
hospitals,  orphanages,  playgrounds,  hours  of  labor  for  little  chil- 
dren and  the  interests  of  working  men  of  all  classes.  The 
church  can  never  be  indifferent  to  creeds,  but  it  insists  now,  as 
never  in  the  past,  that  good  creeds  shall  be  translated  into  good 
deeds.  The  right  deed  is  the  best  proof  of  the  right  creed.  The 
spirit  of  brotherhood  is  abroad  as  never  before. 

Rev.  Wm.  Budd  Bodine,  D.D.,  Episcopalian,  writing  of 
Charles  Wesley,  said: 

The  Methodists  belong  to  our  family.  Reunion  with  them 
would  help  them  greatly  and  it  would  greatly  help  us  also.  They 
need  certain  of  the  guiding  and  conservative  qualities  which  we 
possess  in  large  measure,  and  we  need  the  strength  of  their  num- 
bers and  their  enthusiasm.    May  God  speed  the  day  when  they 

(174) 


Christian  Hymnology. 


175 


shall  be  one  with  us  in  outward,  visible  fellowship,  as  a  step  and  a 
long  step  towards  the  reunion  of  all  who  profess  and  call  them- 
selves Christians. 

When  James  Freeman  Clark  lay  dying  at  Lakewood,  he 
asked  that  there  should  be  read  to  him  Henry  Francis  Lyte's 
great  hymn,  "Abide  with  me,  fast  falls  the  eventide."  Was  that 
a  "Unitarian"  or  an  "Orthodox"  request?  It  was  both,  inasmuch 
as  it  came  from  a  man  who  was  outwardly  a  Unitarian,  but 
whose  life-long  inward  fellowship  had  been  with  the  Father  and 
with  His  Son,  Jesus  Christ.  He  remembered  his  Master  who  had 
climbed  the  steep  of  Calvar}'',  and  so  his  spirit  cried: 

Hold  Thou  Thy  cross  before  my  closing  eyes : 

Shine  through  the  gloom  and  point  me  to  the  skies : 

Heaven's  morning  breaks,  and  earth's  vain  shadows  flee ; 
In  life,  in  death,  O  Lord,  abide  with  me. 

Let  that  be  the  cry  of  our  spirits  also,  and  for  us  "the  valley  of 
the  shadow"  will  blaze  with  light. 

Can  we  not  see  the  morning  light,  or  at  least  its  glimmer, 
promising  the  breaking  of  the  day  when  the  people  of  all  true 
religious  creeds  shall  have  discovered  truth's  kernel  in  a  nut- 
shell of  divine  revelation?  In  the  Old  Testament  this,  Micah 
6:8: 

''He  hath  shewed  thee,  O  man,  what  is  good;  and  zvhat 
doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee  but  to  do  justice,  and  to  love 
mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly  zvith  thy  God/' 

And  this,  from  the  New  Testament,  the  Epistle  of  James 
1 :  27: 

''Pure  religion  and  vindeilled  before  our  God  and  Father  is 
this,  to  visit  the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their  aMiction,  and  to 
keep  oneself  unspotted  from  the  world?'' 

UNITY  OF  THE  SPIRIT  A  BOND  OF  PEACE. 

"Giving  diligence  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the 
bond  of  peace.  There  is  one  body,  and  one  Spirit,  even  also 
as  ye  were  called  in  one  hope  of  your  calling;  one  Lord,  one 


1/6 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  zvho  is  over  all, 
and  through  all,  and  in  all.'' — Ephesians  4:  3-6.    R.  V. 

OUR  SAVIOUR'S  PRAYER. 

''Holy  Father,  keep  through  thine  own  name  those  whom 
Thou  hast  given  me,  that  they  may  he  one,  as  we  are.  ^  ^ 
That  they  all  may  he  one,  as  Thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in 
Thee,  that  they  also  may  he  one  in  us,  that  the  world  may 
believe  that  Thou  hast  sent  me." — John  17:  11,  21. 

In  these  bright  days  of  the  Son  of  Man,  era  of  great  mis- 
sionary achievements  in  lands  that  have  long  lain  in  darkness, 
but  upon  which  now  the  sun  of  righteousness  has  arisen  with 
healing  in  his  wings;  this  time  of  international  peace  con- 
gresses presaging  the  early  fulfilment  of  Isaiah's  prophecy — 
"Nation  shall  not  rise  up  against  nation;  they  shall  beat  their 
swords  into  plowshares  and  their  spears  into  pruning  hooks, 
and  shall  learn  war  no  more'' ;  witnessing  the  desire  of  all 
Christian  denominations  for  federation  and  co-operation  in  the 
spirit  of  Godly  unity ;  these  days  of  active,  broadening  work  by 
Young  Men's  and  Young  Women's  Christian  Associations, 
Christian  Endeavor  and  other  church  societies,  Brotherhoods 
and  Sunday  Schools;  taking  thought  of  this,  that,  while  the 
Christian  Church  at  large,  comprising  many  scores  of  denomi- 
nations, a  multiplicity  of  methods  of  organization  and  work- 
ings, the  millions  of  their  members  and  attendants  are  a  unit  in 
their  services  of  praise,  all  singing  the  same  hymns  and  tunes, 
heart  melodies,  answering  to  the  echoing  voices  of  the  harpers 
with  their  harps  before  the  throne  of  God,  may  we  not,  listening, 
hear  as  did  St.  John,  the  great  voices  in  heaven,  saying — "The 
kingdoms  of  this  world  have  become  the  Kingdom  of  our  Lord 
and  of  His  Christ?" 


Closing  this  labor  of  love  in  the  hope  that  it  may  be  of 
some  help  to  somebody,  hymns,  hymns  and  more  hymns  are 


Christian  Hymnology. 


177 


reverberating  and  making  melody  in  my  heart,  but  time  and 
prudence  counsel  closing,  which  I  do  with  the  good  words  of 
others,  in  the  singing  of  which  I  trust  my  readers  will  join  me: 

Blest  be  the  tie  that  binds 

Our  hearts  in  Christian  love. 
The  fellowship  of  kindred  minds 

Is  like  to  that  above. 


God  be  with  you  'till  we  meet  again, 
By  His  counsels  guide,  uphold  you, 
With  His  sheep  securely  fold  you, 
God  be  with  you  'till  we  meet  again. 


God  be  with  you  'till  we  meet  again. 
Keep  love's  banner  floating  o'er  you, 
Smite  death's  threatening  wave  before 
you, 

God  be  with  you  'till  we  meet  again. 


Swift  to  its  close  ebbs  out  life's  little  day; 
Earth's  joys  grow  dim,  its  glories  pass  away; 
Change  and  decay  in  all  around  I  see; 
O  Thou  who  changest  not,  abide  with  me. 


(Slotv  he  to  tit  ifatjer, 
Slnh  to  ttt  &on, 
^nd  to  tfie  ^ol^  (BJoiSt; 
Si^  it       in  t^e  begmnmg, 
J0  noto,  and  eber  sfSall  be, 
motlti  toitjout  md-  ^men. 


ADDENDA 


\ 


A  MEDITATION. 


'T  thank  Thee,  O  Lord,  that  to  EUjah  and  to  me  Thou 
hast  revealed  a  new  and  better  way.  I  thank  Thee  that  the 
still,  small  voice  has  taken  the  place  of  the  wind,  the  earth- 
quake, and  the  fire.  I  used  to  think  that  law  would  redeem 
Thy  world.  I  thought  that  stern  penalties  would  repress  the 
course  of  crime.  I  thought  the  thunders  of  Sinai  would  make 
the  sinner  pure.  I  thought  the  vision  of  the  lake  that  burneth 
with  fire  and  brimstone  would  put  out  the  love  of  evil.  Thou 
hast  taught  me  better,  O,  my  Father!  Thou  hast  taught  me 
that  the  love  of  evil  can  only  be  extinguished  by  another  love. 
My  heart  cannot  be  conquered  by  the  hand.  If  it  is  centred  on 
the  Prince  of  Evil,  it  will  not  be  cured  by  the  imprisonment  of 
that  prince;  I  should  love  him  in  his  prison,  I  should  love  him 
in  his  bonds.  If  I  am  to  cease  loving  him,  I  must  have  a  new 
prince — the  Prince  of  Peace.  Send  me  this  new  Prince,  O  my 
Father;  nothing  but  Christ  will  put  out  Barabbas  from  my 
heart!  I  love  wrongly,  but  none  the  less  do  I  love  intensely; 
nothing  but  another  love  will  set  me  free.  Famine  will  not; 
Carmel  will  not;  wind  and  earthquake  and  fire  will  not;  the 
burning  lake  itself  would  not  extinguish  my  love !  Therefore, 
my  Father,  let  me  love  again,  let  me  love  anew !  Send  into  my 
heart  a  fresh  ideal !  Send  me  a  sight  of  the  ^altogether  lovely' ! 
Send  me  a  vision  of  the  'chief  among  ten  thousand' !  Send  me 
a  picture  of  Him  who  is  'fairer  than  the  children  of  men' ! 
Break  the  old  ideal  by  the  vision  of  a  higher  beauty!  Let  my 
night  fade  in  Thy  morning,  my  thorn  vanish  in  Thy  flower! 
One  leaf  of  Thy  summer's  bloom  will  disenchant  me  of  the 
winter's  charm.  The  idols  will  be  'broken  in  the  temple  of 
Baal'  when  I  see  Thy  King  on  the  holy  hill  of  Zion." 

Rev.  George  Matheson,  D.D. 


(i8i) 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


New  times  demand  new  measures  and  new  men; 
The  world  advances  and  in  time  outgrows 
The  laws  that  in  our  father's  day  were  best; 
And,  doubtless,  after  us,  some  purer  scheme 
Will  be  shaped  out  by  wiser  men  than  we. 
Made  wiser  by  the  steady  march  of  truth. 
The  time  is  ripe,  and  rotten-ripe  for  change; 
Then  let  it  come;  I  have  no  dread  of  what 
Is  called  for  by  the  instinct  of  mankind. 
Nor  think  I  that  God's  word  would  fall  apart 
Because  we  tear  a  parchment  more  or  less. 
Truth  is  eternal,  but  her  effluence, 
With  endless  change,  is  fitted  to  the  hour; 
Her  mirror  is  turned  forward,  to  reflect 
The  promise  of  the  future,  not  the  past. 

James  Russell  Loivell. 


These  verses  are  from  Toplady's  well-known  hymn,  begin- 
ning ''Your  harps  ye  trembhng  saints/'  1772,  originally  con- 
taining sixteen  verses,  as  in  Palmer's  "Book  of  Praise.''  Some 
unimportant  alterations  have  been  made  in  the  wording  and  it 
appears  in  many  hymnals  as  two  or  three  separate  hymns. 


If  through  unruffled  seas. 

Toward  heaven  we  calmly  sail, 

With  grateful  hearts,  O  Lord,  to  Thee 
We'll  own  the  fav'ring  gale. 


LIVING  BY  FAITH. 

Soon  shall  our  doubts  and  fears 

All  yield  to  Thy  control ; 
Thy  tender  mercies  shall  illume 
The  midnight  of  the  soul. 


But  should  the  surges  rise 
And  rest  delay  to  come, 

Blest  be  the  sorrow,  kind  the  storm 
Which  drives  us  nearer  home. 


Teach  us  in  every  state 

To  make  Thy  will  our  own; 

And  when  the  joys  of  sense  depart 
To  live  by  faith  alone. 


A  PRAYER. 

When  on  my  day  of  life  the  night  is  Thou  who  hast  made  my  house  of  life 

falling,  so  pleasant. 

And,  by  the  winds  from  unsunned  Leave  not  its  tenant  when  its  walls 

spaces  blown,  decay; 

I  hear  far  voices  out  of  darkness  call-  O  Love  Divine,  O  Helper  ever  pres- 

ing  ent, 

My  feet  to  paths  unknown.  Be  Thou  my  strength  and  stay. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


Be  near  me  when  all  else  is  from  me 
drifting, 

Earth,  sky,  home's  pictures,  days  of 
shade  and  shine. 
And  kindly  faces  to  my  own  uplifting, 
The  love  which  answers  mine. 


Suffice  it  if,  my  good  and  ill  unreck- 
oned. 

And  both   forgiven   through  Thy 
abounding  grace, 
I  find  myself  by  hands  familiar  beck- 
oned 

Unto  my  fitting  place : 


I  have  but  Thee,  my  Father !  let  Thy 
spirit 

Be  with  me  then  to  comfort  and 
uphold ; 

No  gate  of  pearl,  no  branch  of  palm  I 
merit. 

Nor  street  of  shining  gold. 
Tune,  St.  Olaf. 


Some  humble  door  among  Thy  many 
mansions, 
Some  sheltering  shade  where  sin 
and  striving  cease. 
And  flows  forever  through  heaven's 
green  expansions. 
The  river  of  Thy  peace. 

John  G.  Whittier. 


SPIRITUAL  WORSHIP. 

Tho'  glorious,  O  God !  must  Thy  tem-  Who  having  once  entered,  hath  shown 

pie  have  been,  us  the  way, 

On  the  day  of  its  first  dedication,  O  Lord,  how  to  worship  before 

When  the  Cherubim's  wings  widely  Thee: 

waving  were  seen.  Not  with  shadowy  forms  of  that  ear- 
On  high,  o'er  the  ark's  holy  station.  lier  day. 

But  in  spirit  and  truth  to  adore 
Thee ! 

Tho'  awfully  grand  was  Thy  Majesty  This,  this  is  the  worship  the  Saviour 

then,  made  known, 

Yet  the  worship  Thy  gospel  dis-  When  she  of  Samaria  found  Him; 

closes,  By  the  patriarch's  well  sitting  weary, 

Less  splendid  in  pomp  to  the  vision  of  alone, 

men.  With    the    stillness    of  noontide 

Far  surpasses  the  ritual  of  Moses.  around  Him. 

And  by  whom  was  that  ritual  forever  How   sublime,  yet  how  simple,  the 

repealed,  homage  He  taught. 

But  by  Him,  unto  whom  it  was  To  her  who  inquir'd  by  that  foun- 

given  tain. 

To  enter  the  Oracle,  where  is  re-  If  Jehovah  at  Solyma's  shrine  would 

vealed,  be  sought, 

Not  the  cloud,  but  the  brightness  of  Or  adored  on  Samaria's  mountain, 
heaven? 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Woman !  believe  Me,  the  hour  is  near, 
When  He  if  ye  rightly  would  hail 
Him, 

Will  neither  be  worshipped  exclusively 
here, 

Nor  yet  at  the  altar  of  Salem. 


For  God  is  a  Spirit,  and  they  who 
aright 

Would  perform  the  pure  worship 
He  loveth, 
In  the  heart's  holy  temple  will  seek 
with  delight 
That  spirit  the  Father  approveth. 

Bernard  Barton. 


WAKE!  MY  SOUL. 


Wake!  my  soul,  in  joyful  measure 
Christ  to  laud.  His  love  proclaim, 

Love  that  passeth  understanding. 
To  Eternity  the  same. 

Spread  the  tidings  !  speed  the  tidings  ! 
Love  and  life  in  Jesus'  name ! 


Empty-handed,  poor,  forsaken, 

Weary,  wandering  far  from  home, 

Jesus'  sweet  compassion  finds  me. 
Pleads  with  me  no  more  to  roam: 

Full  forgiveness  He  assures  me ! 
Jesus,  Lord,  I  come,  I  come. 


None  so  lone,  not  one  so  friendless 
But  can  claim  my  Saviour's  love; 

O,  behold  Him,  waiting,  waiting, 
For  my  lingering  feet  to  move. 

Jesus  knows  me  !    Jesus  calls  me ! 
Haste  my  feet.  His  kindness  prove. 
Tune,  Regent  Square. 


Jesus,  Lord,  the  One  begotten 
Of  the  Father,  praise  to  Thee ! 

Lloly  Spirit,  Guide  and  Comfort, 
Love  of  God  in  Trinity! 

O,  the  wond'rous  revelation! 
God  in  Christ,  and  Christ  in  me ! 

F.  B.  R. 


HYMN  FOR  CHILDREN'S  DAY. 

Accept,  dear  Lord,  our  praise:  help  Our  path  is  strewn  with  blossoms 

us  to  pray ;  sweet  and  fair ; 

Help  us  to  dedicate  this  Children's  Like  breath  of  heaven  on  the  balmy 

day  air 

And  every  day  to  Thee,  our  Saviour,  Without  a  word,  they  speak  of  God's 

friend;  dear  love; 

And  now,  upon  us  all,  Thy  blessing  So  may  our  voices  rise,  our  love  to 

send.  prove. 

We  come  as  scholars  in  the  Master's  Praise,  praise  to  God,  from  whom  all 
school,  blessings  flow; 

That  we  may  learn  and  live  the  golden  Hallow  His  name  all  creatures  here 
rule;  below; 

To  find  the  way  of  life,  the  path  of  Toin  with  the  songs  of  His  angelic 


peace; 


host. 


Let  joy  abound  to-day,   and  never     Praising  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy 
cease.  Ghost. — Amen. 

Tune,  Pax  Dei.  F-  B.  R. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


185 


.     GOD  L( 

We  thank  Thee,  Father,  that  Thy  love 
for  all 

Has   brought   to    each    of   us  Thy 

mercy's  call ; 
That  none  may  perish,  but  that  all 

may  come, 
E'en   the   lone   wanderer   far  away 

from  home. 

We  rise  to  bless  Thy  name,  most  holy 
Lord; 

Forever    be    Thy    name    on  earth 
adored; 

Let  the  sweet  incense  of  our  praise 
arise, 

And  blend  with  angel-songs  above  the 
skies. 

Tune,  Morecamhe. 


^ES  US. 

Give  to  each  weary  one  a  heart  to 

say 

I  thank  Thee  for  the  love  that,  day 
by  day. 

Has  shed  its  radiance  over  all  my 
years. 

Has  kept  my  heart  from  grief,  my 
eyes  from  tears. 

Now,  Father,  this  shall  be  our  fervent 
prayer — 

In  Jesus'  name,  that  every  soul  may 
share 

In  Jesus'  love,  may  all  in  Him  be- 
lieve, 

And  by  His  mercy  sweet.  His  life  re- 
ceive. 

F.  B.  R.,  1907. 


KING  O 

Come,  let  us  sing  unto  the  Lord  our 
God. 

In  joyful  song  the  name  of  Jesus 
laud; 

Glad   hearts    we   bring   this  happy 

Christmas  day, 
While  in  His  house  we  come  to  praise 

and  pray. 

Laud  Christ  the  King,  and  celebrate 

His  birth; 
Laud  Him  ye  skies,  O  praise  Him  all 

the  earth; 
Ring,  ring  ye  bells,  let  mortals  hear 

the  sound. 
And  let  the  echo  wake  the  world 

around ! 

Twines:  National  Hymn,  by  G. 
Parker. 


KINGS. 

Born  in  a  stall,  yet  King  of  kings  was 
He; 

King  of  all  kings  He  evermore  shall 
be; 

Set  up  Thy  throne  in  all  our  hearts 
we  pray; 

Reign,  reign  supreme  till  breaks  eter- 
nal day ! 

Join  every  voice,  all  hearts  your  trib- 
ute bring; 

Loud  anthems  raise  to  Jesus  Christ 
your  King; 

Praise  Him  for  aye  with  heaven's 
angelic  host; 

Glory  to  Father,  Son  and  Holy 
Ghost ! 

F.  B.  R.,  1909. 
/.  Warren;  or  Pro  Patria,  by  H.  W. 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


The  following  lines  were  written  on  a  railroad  train, 
returning  from  the  funeral  of  Robert  DuBois,  who,  for  twenty- 
eight  years,  was  the  leader  of  the  choir  of  the  old  First  Pres- 
byterian Church  at  Bridgeton,  New^  Jersey: 

VICTORY. 


Why  should  we  heavy-laden  be  and 

why  disquieted  ? 
Why  say  the  world  is  cold  and  drear 

and  dark, 

Because  the  light  he  held  aloft  has 

been  put  out, — 
And  men  say — "he  is  dead?" 

Lo !  here  and  there  the  torch  lit  by 

his  hand  still  burns. 
And  gleams  in  hearts  and  homes  near 

and  afar; 

This  will  shine  on  and  on  while  suns 

and  stars  endure; 
Surely,  he  lives  !  he  lives  ! 


Though  white-robed  hosts  of  angel 
choirs  have  welcomed  him, 

Yet  in  fond  memory's  ear  we  hear 
his  voice, 

Just  as  of  old  we  heard  it  oft  in 

church  and  home; 
Yes,  yes  !  he  lives !  he  lives ! 

We  cannot  say  we  ne'er  again  shall 

see  his  face, 
His  kindly,  loving  look,  firm,  eloquent 
Of  loyalty  to  right,  and  hatred  of  all 

wrong. 

For  Christ  hath  vanquished  death ! 


Can  it  be  death  to  live  and  love,  and  rest  for  aye 
From  earthly  ills  ?    To  enter  Heaven's  gate 
And  greet  our  loved  ones  on  the  shining  shore, 
Is  not  this  victory? 

F.  B.  R. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


187 


HOW  GLORIOUS  ART  THOU,  O  OUR  GOD! 


(ST.  ANNE.) 


WILLIAM  CROFT,  1708. 


How    glo  -  rious  art  Thou, 

r, 

 -^^r—t- 

— 9  u  1  


our   God!    'Tis  Thou  and  Thou    a  -  lone 


:t=: 


-I— I — !  1  i  1— I — I  1  1 — , — r-i — I  1  i  1— I  i  r 


Who  dwell-est   in  Thy  people's  praise,  On  Thine    e  -  ter  -  nal  throne. 

I  I  ..  .  _ 


A-men. 


How  glorious  art  Thou,  O  our  God! 

'Tis  Thou  and  Thou  alone 
Who  dwellest  in  Thy  people's  praise, 

On  Thine  eternal  throne. 


From  all  the  towns  that  stud  the  hills 

Of  teeming  Galilee, 
From   marts   of   Greece   and  misty 
lands 

Beyond  the  Western  Sea. 


How  many  voices,  differing  tongues, 

Harmonious,  join  to  raise 
To  Thee,  O  Rock  of  Israel, 

Accumulating  praise ! 


Fain   would   we   catch   the  accents 
strange. 
Fain  train  our  ears  to  hear 
The  notes  that  hymn  Thee  through 
the  years, 
O  Israel's  Hope  and  Fear ! 


From  Charran  and  Chaldean  Ur, 

The  river's  banks  along. 
From  Canaan's  heights  and  Egypt's 
sands. 

Ascends  the  constant  song, — 


'Twas  Thou  didst  teach  Thy  Sons  of 
old 

Thy  varied  laud  to  sing. 
School  Thou  our  hearts  that  we  may 
too 

Our  hallelujahs  bring. 


How  glorious  art  Thou,  O  our  God ! 

How  mighty  past  compare ! 
Thou  dwellest  in  Thy  people's  praise, 

Accept  the  praise  we  bear. 
By  permission.  Rev.  Benjamin  B.  Wariield,  D.  D. 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


FOURTEENTH  CHAPTER  OF  JOHN 

Feancis  B.  Reeves. 

>  &  ^ 


E.  S.  Uffoed. 


with  troub 


1.  Let    not   your  heart  be 

2.  Think,  troub  -  led  soul,  of 

3.  I    would  have  told  you 

4.  If      in     my  name —  I 

5.  Peace     I     leave  with  you — sweet  prom  -  ise    and  true; 

I 


the    man  -  sions 
if       it    were  not 
now     sav     un  -  to 


op  -  press' d, 
so  fair! 
so: 

you— 


Go  with  your 

List  to  His 

I  go     be  - 

Ye  shall  ask 

Not  as  the 


bur  -  den  to  Je  -  sus  and  rest; 
prom  -  ise —  I  go  to  pre  -  pare 
fore,    that    the    way   you    may  know. 

an  -  y  -  thing,  that  ynll  I  do: 
world  gives  give     I      un  -  to  you 


This  is 
A  place 
I  am 
An  -  y  - 
Sweet  -  est 


His  coun  -  sel,    heart  - 
for    you     in  my 
the  way,   and  the 
thing!  ev  -   'ry  -  thing! 
as  -  sur  -  ance  to 


cheer -ing    and  true,  Love's  dear- est  words  spok- en      to    me    and    to  you. 

Father's  bright  home.  And   yoa  shall  be   wel-come  when-e'er  you  may  come, 
truth,  and    the    life;  Then  cease,  troub-led  soul,  from  your  sor  -  row  and  strife, 
bless -ings    un  -  told!   No  treas- ure  worth  hav  -  ing  will    Je  -  sus  with- hold, 
all  who  draw  near — The  Spir  -  it  shall  come  and     a  -  bide  with  you  here. 
N 


 6^  

CHORrs. 
-M — i — 

1 

*  ~1 — ' 

^  ) 

^  ^ 

«^  J  J  1  J*          ^  ^  J 

:     1     '  ' 

Christ  with  us  ev  -  er!  com-fort-less  nev-er!  Joy   to  thewea-ry  and  sad! 


From  such  a  Sav-iour,  noth-ing  can  sev  -  er  Those  whom  His  words  have  made  glad. 


Christian  Hymnology. 


CALL  AND  CONSECRATION. 


Francis  B.  Reeves.  S.  C.  Foster. 


1.  in    the  still  air,    a  voice  calls  soft  and  clear;     Be  not    a-fraid:  'tis 

2.  "Come  un  -  to  me   and    I  will  give  you  rest;"  This  is  love's  call  to 

3.  Je  -  sus,  my  Lord,  O    may  Thy  will  be  mine    Make  me     to  know  my 

4.  My  heart    is  glad,    I    trust  Thy  love  dear  Lord,    Help  me    to  serve  Thee, 


^.   .m.  ^. 

:^               N    t  .  ^- 

-I  1  1  1  i«_i_S3_ 

-U — U — U — U — H  

-h      ,h-     b; — 1 

-H  #  ^  H  1  #1 


Je  -  sus'  voice  you  hear;  Come,  wea  -  ry  soul,  your  Sav-  iour  bids  you  come,  He 
wea- ry  hearts  op- prest:  "Come,  comfe  to  me,  your  bur- dens    I  will  bear;"  I 
will   is   ev  -  er  Thine  Dark  tho'  my  way  may  sometimes  seem  to   be,  Shine 
lean-  ing  on  Thy  word,  Draw  me    to  Thee   by  cords  of    ten-  der  love  That 
^.  ,  .  ^   ^  ^ 


t 


-\ — — 


Chorus. 


r 

calls  His  wandering  child  to  Him,  come  home, come  home.v 
hear  the  call  and    I  will  come,my  Sav- iour  dear.    I  My  Saviour,  I'm  coming. 
Thou  up -on  my  pathway, keep  me  near  to  Thee.  1 
I   may  have  a  fore-taste  here  of  heav'n  a  -  bove.  / 

^ 


1| 


-I — h/— L| 


-W  1  g- 


■t^— b'  b*— b*— |- 


I 


I  hear  Thy  lov-ing  call,  I  con- secratemy-self  toThee,mylife,  my  all! 
^        jft.        j^.  jft.,  ^     R  ^.  -p-  ^  J 


i 


Used  by  permission. 


190 


The  Evolution  of  Our 


Francis  B.  Reeves. 


A  BRIGHTER  DAY. 


Old  English  Air. 


1.  Theredawnsa  day    on    ev  -  'ry  heart, Wiien  earth  ly  pleasures  cloy, 

2.  O  why  art  thou    d is- tressed, my  soul,    O    why    art  thou  cast  down? 

3.  Fear  not,   O  troub-led    soul,  fear  not,  List   to     theMas-ter's  voice, 

4.  Come,  cast  your  bur -den   on     the    Lord;  Our  God    is    al  -  ways  kind; 


"When  clouds  grow  dark  and  fears  dis  -  turb  Our  heart's-ease  and  our  joy;.... 

Hope  thou,  for  God  will  lead  thee    on     Till  thou  hast  won  thy  crown. 

Thy  Father's  love  will  nev  -  er     fail,  He    bids  thy  heart  re  -  joice..- 

Let  naught  but  sin    dis  -  turb  your  soul  And  you  will  ev  -  er  find.... 


Then  once     a -gain  the  sun  breaks  forth.  Be-fore    the  daylight  dies,. 

Then    in     that  land  of    glo-ry  bright.  Where  sorrows  nev-er  come,  

Your  faith    in  Him  and  heav'nly  hope,  Will  lead  you  ev  -  er  high  -  er, 
That    life     is  sweet, your  pathway  bright, That  God  is    lead-ing  thee 
— IV-,  a"^^^ — ,  ^- 


And    o  -  ver-head  the  rain-  bow  paints  God's  promise    in     the  skies. 

All  per-fect-ness  and  peace  are  thine,  In    Thy    e  -  ter  -  nal  home. 

Un-til  you  gain    a  store    of  joys.    Be  -  yond  your  best  de  -  sire... 

In  pastures  green, by  wa  -  ters  still,  From  sin    and  sor  -  row  free... 


Christian  Hymnology. 


191 


GOD  IS  LOVE, 
would  God's  grace  im 


On  all  who 
plore 

That  grace  our  God  bestoweth; 
Ask  what  thou  wilt,  He  giveth  more 
His  heart  with  love  o'erfloweth; 
Wonderful  love. 


Unworthy  we  may  be ;  not  one 

By  right  can  claim  His  favor; 
Save  through  the  merits  of  His  Son, 
Our  blessed  Lord  and  Saviour; 
O,  matchless  love ! 


He    hears    my    cry    when  sorrow's 
waves 

Roll  o'er  my  soul  in  billows, 
And,  hearing,  bares  His  arm  to  save, 
While  on  His  breast  He  pillows 
My  aching  head. 


Hast  thou  not  known  my  Saviour's 
love  ? 

Woulds't  thou  not  have  it  ever? 
Thy  Father  waiteth  now  to  prove, 
A  tie  that  naught  can  sever, 
From  His  own  Child. 


In  Him  I  trust;  in  Him  confide. 
His  word  cannot  deceive  me; 

Come  gain  or  loss,  whate'er  betide 
I  know  He  will  receive  me 
Just  as  I  am. 

F.  B.  R. 


THE  HYMNS  OF  LONG  AGO. 

"There's  lots  o'  music  in  'em,  the  hymns  of  long  ago; 

An'  when  some  gray-haired  brother  sings  the  ones  I  used  to  know, 

I  sorter  want  to  take  a  hand — I  think  o'  days  gone  by, 

'On  Jordan's  stormy  banks  I  stand,  and  cast  a  wistful  eye.' 

There's  lot  o'  music  in  'em — those  dear,  sweet  hymns  of  old, 
With  visions  bright  of  lands  of  light  and  shining  streets  of  gold; 
And  I  hear  'em  ringing — singing,  where  memory  dreaming  stands, 
'From  Greenland's  icy  mountains  to  India's  coral  strands.' 

They  seem  to  sing  forever  of  holier,  sweeter  days. 
When  the  lilies  of  the  love  of  God  bloomed  white  in  all  the  ways; 
And  I  want  to  hear  their  music  from  the  old-time  meetin's  rise, 
"Till  I  can  read  my  title  clear  to  mansions  in  the  skies.' 

We  hardly  needed  singin'  books  in  them  old  days ;  we  knew 

The  words,  the  tune  of  every  one  the  dear  old  hymn  book  through ! 

We  had  no  blaring  trumpets  then,  no  organs  built  for  show. 

We  only  sang  to  praise  the  Lord,  'from  whom  all  blessings  flow.' 


192 


Christian  Hymnology. 


An'  so  I  love  the  dear  old  hymns,  and  when  my  time  shall  come — 

Before  the  light  has  left  me  and  my  singing  lips  are  dumb — 

If  I  can  only  hear  'em  then,  I'll  pass,  without  a  sigh, 

'To  Canaan's  fair  and  happy  land,  where  my  possessions  lie !' " 

Atlanta  Constitution. 


NEW  PRAISE  IN  THE  MORNING,  NEW  SONGS  IN  THE  NIGHT. 

New  mercies,  new  blessings,  new  light  on  thy  way; 
New  courage,  new  hope,  and  new  strength  for  each  day; 
New  notes  of  thanksgiving,  new  chords  of  delight, 
New  praise  in  the  morning,  new  songs  in  the  night; 
New  stars  for  thy  crown,  and  new  tokens  of  love; 
New  gleams  of  the  glory  that  awaits  thee  above; 
New  light  of  His  countenance  full  and  unpriced — 
All  this  be  the  joy  of  thy  new  life  in  Christ. 

Frances  Ridley  Havergal. 


INDEX  OF  FIRST  LINES 


A  mighty  fortress  is  our  God...  31 

Accept,  dear  Lord,  our  praise...  184 

Adam,  the  sinner,  at  his  fall....  80 

Adore  and  tremble                 52,  107 

Again  each  morning  as  we  pass.  135 

Ah,  guilty  sinner    56 

Ah,  lovely  appearance  of  death. .  93 

Alas  and  did  my  Saviour  bleed.  .  117 

All  glory,  laud  and  honor   25 

All  people  that  on  earth  do  dwell  32 

All  praise  to  Thee,  my  God   33 

All  ye  who  laugh  and  sport   53 

And  am  I  born  to  die   150 

And  am  I  only  born  to  die.   56 

And  His  the  gentle  voice   107 

Art  thou  weary   91 

Arise   the   woman's  conquering 

seed    79 

As  Isaac  and  Rebekah  give   82 

Asleep  in  Jesus   11 1 

Awake,  my  soul,  and  with  the 

sun    33 

Awake,  the  woman's  conquering 

seed    79 

Behold,  the  Bridegroom  cometh.  25 
Behold  the  man  threescore  and 

ten    95 

Beneath  the  cross  of  Jesus   105 

Beneath  the  shadow  of  the  cross  172 

Blest  be  the  tie  that  binds   177 

Bless  our  good  minister   152 

Brief  life  is  here  our  portion...  28 

But  bloody  hands  and  hearts...  49 

But  few  among  the  carnal   48 

By  the  cross  sad  vigil  keeping. .  28 

By  the  moon  so  brightly   145 

Call  them  in,  the  poor    103 

Can  a  little  child  like  me   104 

Christ  alone  beareth  me   163 

Christ  for  the  world  we  sing...  127 
Christ  is  made  the  sure  founda- 
tion   24 

Christian,  dost  thou  see  them...  23 


PAGE 

Christian,  the  morn  breaks   72 

Come,  let  us  sing  unto  the  Lord.  185 
Come,  my  soul,  thou  must  be...  35 

Come  not  in  terrors   162 

Come  unto  me,  ye  weary   171 

Dear  refuge  of  my  weary  soul.  99 

Death  may  the  bands  of  life.  ...  80 

Down  to  the  tomb  our  brother. .  149 

Draw  nigh,  draw  nigh,  Emmanuel  20 

E'en  Anwoth  was  not  heaven...  104 

Faith  of  our  fathers,  living  still.  74 

False  are  the  men  of  high  degree  85 
Far  in  the  deep  where  darkness 

dwells    48 

Farewell,  farewell,  dear  friends.  89 

Farewell,  ye  blooming  sons   151 

Father,  I  know  that  all  my  life.  109 

Father  of  mercies,  in  Thy  word.  100 
Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the 

night    104 

Father,  whate'er  of  earthly  bliss  98 

Fill  Thou  my  life,  O  Lord   124 

For  all  the  saints  who  from   74 

For  thee,  O  dear,  dear  country. .  27 

From  hands  that  would  our   142 

Fruit  of  a  virgin's  womb   79 

Glory  be  to  the  Father   177 

Glory  to  Thee,  my  God   35 

God  be  with  you  till  we  meet.  ...  177 

God  bless  our  native  land   135 

God  give  our  President   136 

God  of  nations,  King  of  kings.  .  136 
God  of  our  fathers,  known  of  old  142 
God  of  our  fathers,  whose  al- 
mighty hand    141 

God  the  all-merciful    14T 

God's  word  for  all  their  craft. ..  32 

Golden  harps  are  sounding   108 

Great  God,  accept  our  songs.  . . .  147 
Great  King  of  nations,  hear   138 


194 


Index  of  First  Lines 


PAGE 


Hark,  from  the  tombs   44 

Hark!  ye  neighbors,  and  hear..  146 
Heavenly  Father,  God  of  nations  137 
He  comes,  He  conies  to  judge.  . .  52 
He    Hves,    the   great  Redeemer 

lives    68 

Hold  Thou  Thy  cross  before  my 

closing  eyes    175 

How  dreadful.  Lord,  will  be  the 

day    149 

How  great,  how  terrible  that  God  51 

How  glorious  art  Thou   187 

How  painful  'tis  to  turn  away..  152 


PAGB 


Lead,  kindly  Light   92 

Let  all  thy  converse  be  sincere.  34 
Let  every  tribe  and  every  tongue  169 
Let  not  your  heart  be  with  trou- 
ble oppressed    188 

Like  a  river  glorious   108 

Lord,  and  am  I  yet  alive   53 

Lord,  dismiss  us  witJi  Thy  bless- 
ing   164 

Lord  God,  we  worship  Thee....  139 

Lord,  speak  to  me   109 

Lord,  what  a  thoughtless  wretch  54 
Lord,  when  we  see  a  saint   84 


I  believe  the  great,  good  tidings.  171 

I  bow  my  forehead  to  the  dust..  125 

I  do  not  ask,  O  God   no 

I  know  that  my  Redeemer  lives.  120 

I  love  to  have  the  Sabbath  come  151 

I  love  to  steal  awhile  away   102 

I  love  to  tell  the  story   in 

I  thank  Thy  sovereign  power...  68 
I  think  when  I  read  that  sweet 

story    103 

I  would  be  there  when  prayer 

begins    152 

If  I  am  raised  to  bear  the  sword  86 

If  through  unruffled  seas   182 

In  God's  own  house  for  me  to 

play    152 

In    heavenly   choirs   a  question 

rose    87 

In  heavenly  love  abiding   109 

In  the  cross  of  Christ  I  glory...  173 

In  the  still  air  a  voice  calls   189 

In  vain  the  wealthy  mortals  toil.  43 

Is  there  grief  or  sadness   168 

It  was  good  for  our  mothers. . . .  155 

Jerusalem,  the  golden    27 

Jesus  calls  us  o'er  the  tumult.  . .  .  102 

Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul   119 

Jesus,  tender  Shepherd    108 

Jesus,  the  very  thought  of  Thee.  29 

Jesus,  Thou  joy  of  loving  hearts  29 

Joyful,  joyful,  we  adore  Thee...  133 

Judges  who  rule  the  world   86 

Judgment  day  is  coming  on   59 

Just  as  I  am,  without  one  plea..  91 


Mine  eyes  have  seen  the  glory. .  140 
More  love  to  Thee,  O  Christ...  113 

My  country,  'tis  of  thee   134 

My  God,  I  thank  Thee,  who  hast 

made    no 

My  God,  is  any  hour  so  sweet. . .  loi 
My  God,  my  Father,  while  I  stray  loi 
My  God,  what  inward  grief  I  feel  46 
My  Shepherd  is  the  living  Lord.  70 


My    Shepherd   will    supply  my 

need    70 

My  soul,  come,  meditate  the  day  61 
My  thoughts  on  awful  subjects 

roll    47 

Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee   loi 

Nearer,  still  nearer    112 

New  every  morning  is  Thy  love  122 

New  mercies,  new  blessings....  192 

Not  always  as  the  whirlwinds. .  107 

Not  she  with  trait'rous  kiss....  98 

Now  I  resolve  with  all  my  heart  99 

O  God,  beneath  Thy  guiding  hand  138 

O  God  of  love,  O  King  of  peace  139 

O  golden  day,  so  long  desired...  65 

O  golden  hereafter   158 

O  Holy  Saviour,  Friend  unseen.  100 

O  Jesus,  Thou  art  standing   126 

O  Lord  of  Hosts,  Almighty  King  140 

O  Love  that  will  not  let  me  go. .  128 

O  Master,  let  me  walk  with  Thee  126 

O,  must  we  bid  you  all  farewell.  54 

O  Sacred  Head,  now  wounded..  29 

O  the  love  of  God  Almighty. . . .  130 


Index  of  First  Lines 


195 


Oh,  thus  be  it  ever  when  free- 
men shall  stand    138 

O  what  a  lovely  thing   145 

O  what  a  pleasure  'tis  to  see. . . .  148 
O,  what  their  joy  and  glory....  30 
Oh,  won't  you  be  a  Christian...  158 

Once  in  royal  David's  city   102 

Once  more  we  keep  the  sacred 

day    148 

On  all  who  would  God's  grace..  191 
One  sweetly,  solemn  thought. . . .  105 
Only  this  frail  and  fleeting  breath  150 
Our    blest    Redeemer,    ere  He 

breathed   106 

Our  midnight  is  Thy  smile  with- 
drawn   168 

Our  youthful  hearts  for  learning 

burn    146 

Praise  God  from  whom  all  bless- 
ings flow    18,  33 

Raise,  thoughtless  sinner    49 

Rise,  crowned  with  light    120 

Sacred  head  now  wounded   29 

Safe  in  the  arms  of  Jesus   114 

Safely  through  another  week...  162 
See  in  yonder  house  of  prayer. . .  82 
See  the  red  flames  around  him. . .  43 

Shepherd  of  tender  youth   23 

Sing  the  dear  Saviour's  glorious.  81 
Sinners,  can  you  hate  this  Sa- 
viour?   77 

Someone    must    struggle  that 

others    156 

Sometimes  'mid  scenes  of  deep- 
est gloom     168 

Sowing  the  seed  by  the  daylight  iii 

Still  will  I  strive   80 

Still,  the  sacred  table  spread   172 

Stop,  poor  sinner,  stop  and  think  58 

Stoop  down,  my  thoughts   96 

Sun  of  my  soul.  Thou  Saviour 

dear    123 

Sweet  is  Thy  mercy,  Lord   128 

Swift  to  its  close,  ebbs  out  life's.  177 

Take  my  life  and  let  it  be   108 

Tarry  with  me,  O  my  Saviour. .  109 


PAGE 


Terrible   God   that    reign'st  on 

high    48 

That  day  of  wrath   30 

Tell  me  the  old,  old  story   iii 

Terrible  thought  shall  I  alone...  44 
The   cherub   near   the  viewless 

throne    77 

The  deluge  at  th'  Almighty's  call  50 
The    great    Archangel's  trump 

shall  sound    44 

The  lofty  pillars  of  the  sky   169 

The  Lord  has  come  unto  His 

world    129 

The  Lord,  my  Shepherd  is   70 

The  mistakes  of  my  Hfe   108 

The  mites  have  the  blessing   159 

The  rising  morning  can't  insure.  94 

The  sands  of  time  are  sinking.  .  .  103 
The    shadows    of    the  evening 

hours    no 

The  spacious  firmament  on  high.  169 

The  summer  harvest  spreads...  50 

The  trumpet  sounds,  hell  trembles  53 
There     dawns  a  day  on  every 

heart    190 

There  is  a  green  hill  far  away. . .  102 

There  were  ninety  and  nine   105 

There's    a    wideness    in  God's 

mercy    107 

There's  lots  o'  music  in  'em   191 

Thine  forever,  God  of  love   in 

Tho'  glorious,  O  God   183 

Though  by  Thy  bitter  cross   163 

Thy  life  was  given  for  me   108 

To  our  Redeemer's  glorious  name  99 

Two  are  better  far  than  one. ...  81 

Two  empires  by  the  sea   142 

Unthinking  mortals,  ye  must  die.  150 

Wake,  my  soul,  in  joyful  meas- 
ure   184 

We  are  coming    159 

We  are  living,  we  are  dwelling.  126 

We  are  not  divided   174 

We  see,  tho'  you  perceive  it  not.  150 

We  thank  thee,  Father   185 

What  may  be  on  the  morrow. . . .  168 
When  Abr'ham's  servant  to  pro- 
cure   90 


196 


Index  of  First  Lines 


When  God  from  His  throne   51 

When  God,  our  Leader,  shines. .  46 

When  on  my  day  of  Hfe   182 

When  the  morn  shall  bid   162 

Where  do  children  love  to  go..  144 

Where  shall  a  guilty  child  retire  150 
While   Thee  I   seek,  protecting 

power    106 

Whither    goest    thou,  pilgrim, 

stranger    82 

Who  can  describe  the  pain   79 

Who  is  on  the  Lord's  side   108 

Who  is  this  stranger  in  distress.  47 

Why  do  the  proud  insult  the  poor  42 


Why  doth  the  man  of  riches  grow  42 

Why  hast  thou  cast  our  lot   81 

Why  should  we  heavy  laden  be. .  186 
With    thy    spirit's    two  -  edged 

sword    80 

Without    such     fruit    as  God 

expects    151 

Ye  followers  of  the  Prince  of 

Peace    171 

Ye  sons  of  pride  that  hate   42 

Yes,  for  me,  for  me  He  careth. .  123 
You  cannot  read  the  news   92 


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